: a political subdivision in the U.S.S.R. comparable to the U.S. county : district
History and Etymology for raion
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
