Ma'anar ƙamus na "gangster" shine:noun: memba na ƙungiyar masu aikata laifuka, musamman ƙungiyoyin laifuka. aikata laifukan da aka tsara.Gangsan yawanci suna da alaƙa da ayyukan da ba bisa ka'ida ba kamar satar dukiyar jama'a, fataucin muggan kwayoyi, da kuma satar mutane. An san su da yin amfani da tashin hankali da tsoratarwa don ci gaba da kula da kamfanoninsu na aikata laifuka. Ana yawan amfani da kalmar “dandama” wajen bayyana mutumin da ke aikata irin wadannan ayyuka, ko kuma a koma ga gungun irin wadannan mutanen da suke aiki tare a matsayin wani bangare na kungiyar masu laifi.