'bondslave' originates from Modern English, formed by combining 'bond' (from Old English/Old Norse roots such as Old Norse 'bóndi'/'bonda', originally referring to a householder or occupant and later used in Middle English senses including 'bondman') and 'slave' (from Medieval Latin 'sclavus', via Old French, originally meaning 'Slav' and then 'person in servitude').

'bondslave' developed alongside Middle English terms like 'bondman' and compounds such as 'bond-servant'; the element 'slave' was borrowed into English from Old French/Medieval Latin and the compound gained usage in Early Modern English, especially in religious and legal contexts.

Initially it referred to a person in bondage or a serf; over time it was used especially in biblical and literary contexts to mean a person bound in devoted service, and today it is archaic or literary, often replaced by 'slave' or 'bondservant'.