bondage

C2+ Topic:Law & Government

US /ˈbɑndɪdʒ/ UK /ˈbɒndɪdʒ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like bandage /æ/ vs /ɑ/

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the state of being a slave or under another's control

The reformers fought to free thousands from bondage.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the state of being a slave... slavery servitude enslavement captivity thraldom subjugation serfdom

Opposites

freedom liberty emancipation

Word family

Related forms bond bondmanbondsmanbound

Etymology

From Middle English bondage, from Anglo-Latin bondagium, from Middle English bonde ('serf, tenant farmer'), from Old English bonda, bunda ('householder'), from Old Norse bóndi ('husbandman, freeholder'), with sense influenced by bond.

bóndi Old Norse

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Topics

Law & Government

# bondage

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˈbɑndɪdʒ
**IPA (UK):** ˈbɒndɪdʒ

## Meanings
1. the state of being a slave or under another's control

## Examples
- The reformers fought to free thousands from bondage.

## Synonyms
- slavery
- servitude
- enslavement
- captivity
- thraldom
- subjugation
- serfdom

## Antonyms
- freedom
- liberty
- emancipation

## Related Forms
- bond
- bondman
- bondsman
- bound

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: bóndi

## Etymology
From Middle English bondage, from Anglo-Latin bondagium, from Middle English bonde ('serf, tenant farmer'), from Old English bonda, bunda ('householder'), from Old Norse bóndi ('husbandman, freeholder'), with sense influenced by bond.

## AI Etymology
Bondage is a noun meaning "the state of being a slave or under another's control". Historically, it is from Middle English bondage, from Anglo-Latin bondagium, from Middle English bonde ('serf, tenant farmer'), from Old English bonda, bunda ('householder'), from Old Norse bóndi ('husbandman, freeholder'), with sense influenced by bond. The semantic history matters here: the earlier use is the starting point, and the modern sense, "the state of being a slave or under another's control", is the later or specialized English value. The historical chain is anchored in Old Norse bóndi. Close English family members include bond, bondman, bondsman, and bound.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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bondage

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