soviet

/ˈsoʊviɪt/

/ˈsʌʊviɪt/

In the former U.S.S.R., a soviet was an elected legislative body, similar to a parliament.

Soviet is from the Russian sovet, "governing council," and its Greek source, symboulion, "council of advisors." After the Russian Revolution, the term soviet was used for local governments elected by workers, as well as the higher councils that those local soviets elected in turn. Each separate republic making up the Soviet Union had its own governing soviet, and together they formed the Supreme Soviet, the highest legislative body in the country.

Definitions of soviet

1. noun

   an elected governmental council in a communist country (especially one that is a member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
   type of:

   council

   a body serving in an administrative capacity