oblast

noun

ob·​last ˈä-ˌblast 

ˈȯ-,

-bləst 

plural oblasts also oblasti ˈä-ˌbla-stē 

ˈȯ-,

-blə-

: a political subdivision of Imperial Russia or a republic of the Soviet Union or of Russia

Word History

Etymology

Russian oblast'

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above