Editing Oblast (section)

==Etymology==
The term ''oblast'' is [[Loanword|borrowed]] from [[Russian language|Russian]] область ({{IPA|ru|ˈobɫəsʲtʲ|pron}}), where it is inherited from [[Old East Slavic]], in turn borrowed from [[Church Slavonic]] область ''oblastĭ'' 'power, empire', formed from the prefix {{Lang|cu|oб-}} (cognate with [[Classical Latin]] ''ob'' 'towards, against' and [[Ancient Greek]] ἐπί/ἔπι ''epi'' 'in power, in charge') and the stem {{Lang|cu|власть}} ''vlastǐ'' 'power, rule'.<ref name="oed-oblast" /> In Old East Slavic, it was used alongside {{Lang|orv|оболость}} ''obolostǐ''—the equivalent of {{Lang|orv|об-}} 'against' and {{Lang|orv|волость}} 'territory, state, power' (cognate with English 'wield'; see [[volost]]).<ref name="oed-oblast" /><ref>{{cite dictionary|title=область|date=2006 |dictionary=Этимологический онлайн-словарь русского|url=https://lexicography.online/etymology/vasmer/о/область|edition=4th|first=Макса|last= Фасмера|lang=ru|access-date=May 1, 2023}}</ref><ref name="collins"/>