made man

In the Sicilian and American Mafia, a made man is a fully initiated member of the Mafia. To become eligible to be "made," an associate must fulfill several family-specific requirements. These range from being Italian (or specifically from Sicily) to being of general Italian descent and sponsored by an existing made man. An inductee will be required to take the oath of omertà, the Mafia code of silence and code of honor. After the induction ceremony, the associate becomes a "made man" and holds the rank of soldier (Italian: soldato) in the Mafia hierarchy. Made men are the only ones who can rise through the ranks of the Mafia, from soldier to caporegime, consigliere, underboss, and boss. Other common names for members include man of honor (Italian: uomo d'onore), man of respect (Italian: uo...