soviet
[ soh-vee-et, -it, soh-vee-et ]
/ ˈsoʊ viˌɛt, -ɪt, ˌsoʊ viˈɛt /
noun
(in the Soviet Union).
- (before the revolution) any governmental council.
- (after the revolution) a local council, originally elected only by manual workers, with certain powers of local administration.
- (after the revolution) a higher council elected by a local council, being part of a hierarchy of soviets culminating in the Supreme Soviet.
any similar council or assembly connected with a socialistic governmental system elsewhere.
(initial capital letter) Often Soviets. a governing official or person living in the Soviet Union: The Soviets have denied our charge.
adjective
of or relating to a soviet.
(initial capital letter) of the Soviet Union: a Soviet statesman.
Words nearby soviet
Origin of soviet
1915–20; < Russian sovét council, counsel, advice, Old Russian, OCS sŭvětŭ, equivalent to sŭ- together, with + větŭ counsel; calque of Greek symboúlion
OTHER WORDS FROM soviet
so·vi·et·dom [soh-vee-et-duh m, -it-, soh-vee-et-] /ˈsoʊ viˌɛt dəm, -ɪt-, ˌsoʊ viˈɛt-/, nounan·ti-So·vi·et, noun, adjectivepro-So·vi·et, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for soviet
British Dictionary definitions for soviet (1 of 2)
soviet
/ (ˈsəʊvɪət, ˈsɒv-) /
noun
(in the former Soviet Union) an elected government council at the local, regional, and national levels, which culminated in the Supreme Soviet
(in prerevolutionary Russia) a local revolutionary council
adjective
of or relating to a soviet
Word Origin for soviet
C20: from Russian sovyet council, from Old Russian sŭvĕtŭ
British Dictionary definitions for soviet (2 of 2)
Soviet
/ (ˈsəʊvɪət, ˈsɒv-) /
adjective
of, characteristic of, or relating to the former Soviet Union, its people, or its government
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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