soviet

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

noun

(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.
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.

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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, adjective

Words nearby soviet

sovereign, sovereigntist, sovereignty, sovereignty association, sovetsk, soviet, soviet bloc, soviet central asia, soviet of nationalities, soviet of the union, soviet russia
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to soviets

assembly, congress, diet, parliament

Example sentences from the Web for soviets

British Dictionary definitions for soviets (1 of 3)

Soviets
/ (ˈsəʊvɪəts, ˈsɒv-) /

noun

the people or government of the former Soviet Union

British Dictionary definitions for soviets (2 of 3)

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 soviets (3 of 3)

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