How to pronounce bondage
Say it like BAHN-dij. Bondage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAHN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bondage. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BAHN
- dij
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bondage pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BAHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- dijKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of bondage
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: BON-dij.
What does bondage mean?
- The state of being enslaved or the practice of slavery.“debt bondage”
- The state of lacking freedom; constraint.“He lived in financial bondage to his cocaine habit; no matter how much he earned, it all seemed to disappear up his nose.”
- The practice of physically restraining people for sexual pleasure, such as by tying up or shackling.“Their marriage broke up when she discovered he had been engaging in bondage games with a local dominatrix while he was supposedly working out at the gym.”
Where does bondage come from?
Inherited from Middle English bondage (“serfdom”), from British Medieval Latin bondagium (“an inferior tenure held by a bond or husbandman”), from Middle English bond (“tenant farmer, serf”), from Old English bonda (“householder, husband, h
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying bondage
How do you pronounce bondage?
Say BAHN-dij. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɑndɪdʒ/. In British English it is /ˈbɒndɪdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bondage?
Bondage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BAHN). Broken into parts: BAHN · dij.
Is bondage pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈbɒndɪdʒ/ (BON-dij).