omertà
Mafia code: quiet
Omertà is a code of silence, especially the one traditionally observed by members of the Mafia and similar criminal organizations.
Breaking omertà—cooperating with authorities or speaking about criminal activities—invites severe punishment, often death.
The word extends to any institutional culture of secrecy: The department's omertà about misconduct made reform impossible.
Sicilian criminal organization
- vendettaProlonged retaliatory conflict
- blood oathVow sealed by bloodshed
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
- initiationFormal admission ceremony
loyalty oath · famiglia · capo · made man · honor code · Sicilian · consigliere · underworld
Tacit agreement against disclosure
- secrecyPractice of hiding information
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
- complicityShared criminal involvement
- cover-upHiding wrongdoing from public
hush · taciturnity · non-disclosure · concealment · unspoken agreement · wordlessness · muteness · tight-lipped
Loyalty owed to authority
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- brotherhoodKinship among men
- solidarityUnity among allies
trust · faithfulness · fealty · bond · honor · commitment · protection · betrayal
Insider who reports misconduct
- complicityShared criminal involvement
- coverupDeliberate hiding of wrongdoing
- blue wallPolice code of silence
- thin blue lineMetaphor for police
fraternity · hazing · witness intimidation · retaliation · internal affairs · code of honor · unwritten rules · closing ranks
Cosa Nostra
Sicilian criminal organization
- vendettaProlonged retaliatory conflict
- blood oathVow sealed by bloodshed
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
initiation · loyalty oath · famiglia · capo · made man · honor code · Sicilian · consigliere · underworld · mob
code of silence
Tacit agreement against disclosure
- secrecyPractice of hiding information
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
- complicityShared criminal involvement
cover-up · hush · taciturnity · non-disclosure · concealment · unspoken agreement · wordlessness · muteness · tight-lipped · sealed lips
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- brotherhoodKinship among men
solidarity · trust · faithfulness · fealty · bond · honor · commitment · protection · betrayal · disloyalty
whistleblower
Insider who reports misconduct
- complicityShared criminal involvement
- coverupDeliberate hiding of wrongdoing
- blue wallPolice code of silence
thin blue line · fraternity · hazing · witness intimidation · retaliation · internal affairs · code of honor · unwritten rules · closing ranks · groupthink
omertàtestimony
Sworn statement as evidence
snitching · informing · turning state's evidence · whistleblowing · confession
omertàbetrayal
Breaking of trust
treachery · disloyalty · defection · civic duty · cooperating witness
omertàtransparency
State of being see-through
openness · candor · freedom of information · truth-telling · accountability