What does bondwomen mean?
Bondwomen is the plural of bondwoman, a term for a woman held in bondage, especially one living under slavery, serfdom, or compulsory service. Its clearest historical use is for women bound to a lord, household, or slaveholder, although it can also refer more generally to female captives and enslaved workers. The expression is archaic and literary in contemporary English; speakers discussing modern labor exploitation generally say “bonded women” or “women in bonded labor” rather than “bondwomen.” Because the form is plural, it naturally evokes a group and carries a stronger historical and institutional resonance than the singular. It remains useful in historical writing, literary analysis, and discussions of the gendered forms that slavery and servitude took. The word is not a term of endearment, and its use should retain the seriousness of the conditions it names.
noun (plural)Women who are held in bondage, especially women living in slavery, serfdom, or compulsory service. The word is now chiefly historical or literary.
- Women collectively or individually living in bondage, especially under slavery, serfdom, or compulsory service.
"The testimony of the former bondwomen revealed the cruelties of the plantation system."
"The archive contains letters written by bondwomen on the plantation."
"Her novel portrays the lives of bondwomen within a rigid plantation hierarchy."
The standard plural of “bondwoman”; since the headword is itself plural, the corresponding singular is “bondwoman.”
"The oral histories of bondwomen preserve accounts that official records often omitted."
One singular woman was a bondwoman; the plural form carries the weight of an entire system of bondage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does bondwomen come from?
The word was formed in English from “bond,” meaning a bound person, servant, or slave, and “woman.” “Bond” developed through Middle English from Old English gebūnd, ultimately connected to the Germanic root for binding, while “woman” comes from Old English wifman, a compound meaning female human. Related English words include “bondage,” “bondless,” and “bondmaid,” while “bondwoman” is the singular of the present word.
Related word forms
How bondwomen is actually used
Chiefly historical, archaic, or literary. In modern discussions of forced or debt labor, “bonded women” or “women in bonded labor” is generally clearer and more specific.
Easily confused with bondwomen
Bondwoman is the singular form; bondwomen is its standard plural.