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• soviet
  soviet

  noun

  (in the Soviet Union).
• Soviet
  Soviet

  adjective

  of, characteristic of, or relating to the former Soviet Union, its people, or its government

soviet

American  

[soh-vee-et, -it, soh-vee-et] / ˈsoʊ viˌɛt, -ɪt, ˌsoʊ viˈɛt /

noun

1. (in the Soviet Union).

   1. (before the revolution) any governmental council.

   2. (after the revolution) a local council, originally elected only by manual workers, with certain powers of local administration.

   3. (after the revolution) a higher council elected by a local council, being part of a hierarchy of soviets culminating in the Supreme Soviet.

2. any similar council or assembly connected with a socialistic governmental system elsewhere.

3. (initial capital letter) Often Soviets. a governing official or person living in the Soviet Union.

   The Soviets have denied our charge.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a soviet.

2. (initial capital letter) of the Soviet Union.

   a Soviet statesman.

soviet ¹ British  

/ ˈsɒv-, ˈsəʊvɪət /

noun

1. (in the former Soviet Union) an elected government council at the local, regional, and national levels, which culminated in the Supreme Soviet

2. (in prerevolutionary Russia) a local revolutionary council

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adjective

1. of or relating to a soviet

Soviet ² British  

/ ˈsəʊvɪət, ˈsɒv- /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or relating to the former Soviet Union, its people, or its government

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sovietdom
  noun
• pro-Soviet
  adjective
• anti-Soviet
  noun

Etymology

Origin of soviet

First recorded in 1915–20; from Russian sovét “council, counsel, advice,” Old Russian, Old Church Slavonic sŭvětŭ, equivalent to sŭ- “together, with” + větŭ “counsel”; loan translation of Greek symboúlion

Explanation

In the former U.S.S.R., a soviet was an elected legislative body, similar to a parliament. Soviet is from the Russian sovet, "governing council," and its Greek source, symboulion, "council of advisors." After the Russian Revolution, the term soviet was used for local governments elected by workers, as well as the higher councils that those local soviets elected in turn. Each separate republic making up the Soviet Union had its own governing soviet, and together they formed the Supreme Soviet, the highest legislative body in the country.

Example Sentences

Now well into its fifth year, the conflict has lasted longer than the Soviet Union’s fight against Germany in World War II.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

To be fair, Brin left Moscow when he was quite young and really may not recall what it was like there — and how little resemblance Soviet Russia could ever have to California.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026

By his own admission, these strong, silent double agents battling against enemies of the Soviet state were what inspired him to seek a career in the KGB, the Soviet Union's intelligence agency.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

The spreadsheet shows that Suozzi shared his table with four guests invited by Doug Burleigh, a longtime Fellowship leader focused on Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

The Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly