posse

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A criminal gang.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Jamaican posses can be traced back to the Jamaican neighborhoods, and posse names correspond to the names of each neighborhood in which the gangs operate.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “posse” mean?

A criminal gang.

Is “posse” formal or informal?

posse is generally slang.