raion

noun

rai·​on

rīˈōn

plural -s

: a political subdivision in the U.S.S.R. comparable to the U.S. county : district

Word History

Etymology

Russian raĭon, district, province, from French rayon honeycomb, department of a store, from Old French ree, raie honeycomb, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rāza honeycomb, Middle Dutch rāte, and perhaps to Latin cratis wickerwork, hurdle

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