soviet

[ soh-vee-et, -it, soh-vee-et ]

See synonyms for soviet on Thesaurus.com

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.

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

Other words from soviet

so·vi·et·dom [soh-vee-et-duhm, -it-, soh-vee-et-], /ˈsoʊ viˌɛt dəm, -ɪt-, ˌsoʊ viˈɛt-/, noun
an·ti-So·vi·et, noun, adjective
pro-So·vi·et, adjective

Words Nearby soviet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use soviet in a sentence

Unlike the soviet Union at a certain period in history, the Russian economy does not hold a candle to that of the United States.
Oliver Stone’s Latest Dictator Suckup | James Kirchick | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Copies of the letter were sent to senior members of the church hierarchy and to the soviet government.
Remembering the Russian Priest Who Fought the Orthodox Church | Cathy Young | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Miles of soviet era housing projects sat along on the ocean.
Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar | Daniel Levin | December 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Not even after its parent company, the soviet Union, took a dive in 1991.
Obama’s One Hand Clap With Castro | Doug McIntyre | December 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
soviet forces had deftly enveloped the German 4th and 9th Armies, annihilating some 28 divisions.
Hitler’s Hail Mary | James A. Warren | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

But during the second year soviet parachutists began to drop, a few at first, then more and more.
Second Variety | Philip Kindred Dick
Factories a long way under ground, behind the soviet lines, factories that had once made atomic projectiles, now almost forgotten.
Second Variety | Philip Kindred Dick
The soviet Union had gained great initial success, usual with the side that got the war going.
Second Variety | Philip Kindred Dick
You might have started for the soviet lines without knowing anything about the work of the other varieties.
Second Variety | Philip Kindred Dick
The people, their costumes—definitely not Pan-soviet uniforms—and the room and its machines, told him nothing.
Hunter Patrol | Henry Beam Piper and John J. McGuire

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

Origin of 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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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