Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female slave: A woman who is legally owned by another person and forced to work without freedom.
   • A female bound to serve without wages: A woman who is obligated to provide service, typically for life, without receiving any payment.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In the ancient household, the bondmaid was responsible for all domestic chores.
  • The historical narrative described the plight of a bondmaid who sought her freedom.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Legal Context: The term is primarily used in historical, literary, or legal contexts to describe a specific type of unfree labor, distinct from other forms of servitude like indentured servitude.
  • The contract specified her status not as a hired servant but as a bondmaid to the family in perpetuity.

Variants and Related Words

• Bondman (noun): The male equivalent; a male slave or a man bound to serve without wages.
• Bondservant (noun): A gender-neutral term for a person bound to service without wages.
• Bondage (noun): The state of being a slave or serf.

Synonyms

• Female slave: Enslaved woman, thrall.
• Servant: (Note: This is a broader, less specific term that does not inherently imply a lack of wages or freedom).

Notes on Meaning

• The term "bondmaid" explicitly denotes a female in a condition of servitude. It combines "bond," implying a binding agreement or state, with "maid," an archaic term for a young woman or female servant.
• Its usage is now almost entirely historical or archaic, found in old texts, legal documents, or discussions of historical social systems like serfdom or certain forms of ancient slavery. It is not used in contemporary contexts to describe modern situations.

Noun

1. a female slave
2. a female bound to serve without wages