volost

[ voh-luh st ]
/ ˈvoʊ ləst /

noun

(formerly) a small administrative peasant division in Russia.
a rural soviet.

Origin of volost

< Russian vólostʾ; Old Russian volostĭ region, state, authority, cognate with OCS vlastĭ sovereignty, power, authority, derivative of Slavic *vald- rule, cognate with Lithuanian valdýti, Gothic waldan, Old English wealdan to rule; cf. wield

Words nearby volost

volksraad, volley, volleyball, vologda, volos, volost, volplane, vols., volsci, volscian, volstead

Example sentences from the Web for volost

  • They were judged by elected courts, that is juries, either in the mir court or in that of the volost (district).

    The Story of Russia |R. Van Bergen, M.A.

  • The District (Volost) Zemstvo was to undertake the administration of local agriculture, education, order and safety.

    The Russian Turmoil |Anton Ivanovich Denikin

British Dictionary definitions for volost

volost
/ (ˈvəʊlɒst) /

noun

(in the former Soviet Union) a rural soviet
(in tsarist Russia) a peasant community consisting of several villages or hamlets

Word Origin for volost

from Russian