soviet

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

noun

1. (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.

2. any similar council or assembly connected with a socialistic governmental system elsewhere.

3. (initial capital letter),  Often Soviets. a governing official or person living in the Soviet Union.

   The Soviets have denied our charge.

adjective

1. of or relating to a soviet.

2. (initial capital letter),  of the Soviet Union.

   a Soviet statesman.

soviet

¹

/ ˈsɒv-, ˈsəʊvɪət /

noun

1. (in the former Soviet Union) an elected government council at the local, regional, and national levels, which culminated in the Supreme Soviet

2. (in prerevolutionary Russia) a local revolutionary council

adjective

1. of or relating to a soviet

Soviet

²

/ ˈsəʊvɪət, ˈsɒv- /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or relating to the former Soviet Union, its people, or its government

Other Word Forms

• sovietdom noun
• anti-Soviet noun
• pro-Soviet adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of soviet¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of soviet¹

C20: from Russian sovyet council, from Old Russian sŭvĕtŭ

Example Sentences

"She was born in a country that was under Soviet influence, and has a level of sensitivity that maybe others don't have," she said.

From BBC

It was the height of the Cold War, China was isolated from much of the world, as was North Korea, and the Soviet Union was the most powerful and richest among them.

From BBC

Though he has been known to describe himself as being Maltese, he was born in 1986 in Uzbekistan when it was still a part of the Soviet Union.

From BBC

Buffer zones can create demilitarised zones between warring countries, such as North and South Korea, and physical boundaries such as the Iron Curtain - which separated the Soviet Union and the West following World War Two.

From BBC

The visit comes as Moldova marks 34 years of independence from Moscow, declared as the Soviet Union fell apart.

From BBC