3 syllables: Co, sa No, stra. Stress on Co.
koh-suh-NOH-struh
/ˈkoʊsə ˈnoʊstɹə/
Cosa Nostra is pronounced koh-suh-NOH-struh (/ˈkoʊsə ˈnoʊstɹə/). It has three syllables (Co-sa No-stra), with the stress on "Co". Cosa Nostra is a formal Italian term meaning 'our thing' or 'this thing of ours,' referring to the Sicilian Mafia. It denotes a named criminal organization and is often used to describe the Italian-American Mafia in a broader sense. The phrase is typically encountered in news, criminology, and discussions of organized crime.
nounCosa Nostra is a formal Italian term meaning 'our thing' or 'this thing of ours,' referring to the Sicilian Mafia. It denotes a named criminal organization and is often used to describe the Italian-American Mafia in a broader sense. The phrase is typically encountered in news, criminology, and discussions of organized crime.
"The undercover informant testified about the inner workings of Cosa Nostra."
"Law enforcement has long pursued members of Cosa Nostra across the United States."
"Books on organized crime often describe how Cosa Nostra operates with strict codes."
Pronounce it as KOH-zah noh-STR A. In IPA (US/UK): /ˈkoʊ.zə noʊˈstrɑ/ (US) or /ˈkəʊ.zə nəˈstrɒ/ (UK). Stress falls on the second syllable of 'Cosa' and the second syllable of 'Nostra.' Tip: smooth between syllables with a light, quick 'z' merge and a clear 'str' cluster in 'Nostra.' Listen to native speakers for the tutti tempo cadence. Audio reference: typical Italian pronunciation preserved in pronunciation sites.
Two common errors: (1) misplacing stress on the second syllable of 'Cosa' as CAM-a or KOH-sah with wrong emphasis. (2) mispronouncing 'Nostra' as 'nuh-STRUH' or 'noh-STAR-ah' with wrong vowel quality or syllable breaks. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable of 'Nostra' as noh-STR A, and keep 'Cosa' as KO-zah with light, unstressed first syllable. Practice the sequence KO-za NOH-stra with even tempo.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈkoʊ.zə noʊˈstrɑ/ with a rhotacized 'r' influence in some speakers. UK English often renders it /ˈkəʊ.zə nəˈstrɒ/ with a shorter 'o' in 'Nostra' and less rhotacization. Australian tends to be closer to UK but can adopt a more centralized vowel in the first syllable. The Italian phonetic integrity, with the 'str' cluster and final 'a,' remains, but vowel heights shift subtly toward each accent’s norms.
The challenge lies in the Italian vowel qualities and the 'str' cluster. 'Cosa' uses a short, rounded 'o' and a light 'za' ending; 'Nostra' contains the consonant cluster 'str' after the nasal 'no,' making a rapid transition. Non-native speakers often stress the wrong syllable or flatten the final 'a.' Focus on a crisp 'ko-za' and a clear 'noh-stra' with the 'str' sequence produced together without a vowel break.
The phrase uniquely combines an open-mid back rounded vowel in 'Cosa' with a strong 'str' consonant cluster in 'Nostra.' The second syllable stress pattern is distinctive: you typically carry the main stress on 'Nostra' in English renderings. Also, the two-word boundary requires a gentle pause and a precise consonant articulation to avoid blending 'za' into the 'Nostra' phoneme.
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Cosa Nostra is Italian: 'cosa' meaning 'thing' and 'nostra' meaning 'our.' The phrase originated as an insider term among Sicilian criminal groups, literally translating to 'our thing' or 'this thing of ours.' It became widely associated with the Sicilian Mafia’s clandestine operations and social code. The term entered popular consciousness in the 20th century through media coverage of Mafia activities and legal proceedings. Its usage expanded internationally, particularly in the United States, where Italian-American communities and law enforcement discussions frequently referenced Cosa Nostra. The label signified not only a criminal network but a self-identifying code of allegiance, ritual, and hierarchy that distinguished its members from other organized crime groups. Over time, reporters and scholars adopted the phrase to describe the broader Italian Mafia family that operated across regions, including Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago, as well as in Sicily, maintaining the sense of a discreet “our thing” shared by initiates and affiliates. In historical records, the term is often paired with references to Code of Silence (omerta) and the structured, quasi-familial organization that characterized traditional Cosa Nostra groups.
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Words that rhyme with "Cosa Nostra"
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