footbinding
nounEtymology From foot + binding.
1
Historical The old Chinese custom of binding women's feet with cloth to prevent them from growing with age.
- More recent studies have shown that foot-binding was likely practiced not purely for the sake of marriage, but also to keep girls at home and engaged in handicrafts, such as spinning cotton, in order to contribute to their family’s income.2020 February 14, Antonia Malchik, “The Neglected Consequences of Foot-Binding”, in The Atlantic:
2
The material used to bind feet for this reason.
- Related terms
- lotus foot