Supreme Soviet

[suh-preem soh-vee-et, soh-vee-it, soo-preem]

noun

1. the legislature of the former Soviet Union and its successor states, consisting of an upper house Soviet of the Union, or Council of the Union, whose delegates are elected on the basis of population, and a lower house Soviet of Nationalities, or Council of Nationalities, whose delegates are elected to represent the various nationalities.

Supreme Soviet

noun

1. the bicameral legislature, comprising the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of the Nationalities; officially the highest organ of state power

2. a similar legislature in each former Soviet republic

Word History and Origins

Origin of Supreme Soviet¹

First recorded in 1935–40; translation of Russian Vérkhniĭ sovét