Definitions

1. noun

A woman who is bound or obligated to serve or provide labor or service in return for protection or other benefits, often in a state of slavery or servitude.

“The historian studied the lives of African bondwomen during the colonial era.”

2. noun

A woman who is bound to a man by marriage or other obligations, often in a state of dependence or subservience.

“In ancient Rome, a bondwoman was often a woman who had married into a lower social class.”