volost

[ voh-luhst ]

noun
  1. (formerly) a small administrative peasant division in Russia.

  2. a rural soviet.

Origin of volost

1
From Russian vólostʾ; Old Russian volostĭ “region, state, authority,” cognate with Old Church Slavonic vlastĭ “sovereignty, power, authority,” derivative of unattested Slavic vald- “rule,” cognate with Lithuanian valdýti, Gothic waldan, Old English wealdan “to rule”; cf. wield

Words Nearby volost

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use volost in a sentence

  • They were judged by elected courts, that is juries, either in the mir court or in that of the volost (district).

    The Story of Russia | R. Van Bergen, M.A.
  • The District (volost) Zemstvo was to undertake the administration of local agriculture, education, order and safety.

    The Russian Turmoil | Anton Ivanovich Denikin

British Dictionary definitions for volost

volost

/ (ˈvəʊlɒst) /


noun
  1. (in the former Soviet Union) a rural soviet

  2. (in tsarist Russia) a peasant community consisting of several villages or hamlets

Origin of volost

1
from Russian

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