confinadas

Confinadas is the feminine plural form of confinada, a term used in Spanish to refer to women who are confined. Grammatically, it can function as an adjective describing feminine nouns (las mujeres confinadas) or as a noun phrase indicating a group of women under confinement. The word carries a gender-specific nuance compared with confinado or reclusa.

Etymology: Confinar derives from Latin confinare, from con- “together” and finis “end, boundary,” meaning to border in or restrain. Over time, the term extended to describe the state or act of confinement, with confinadas used specifically for women.

Usage: In legal, historical, or archival texts, confinadas denotes women deprived of liberty, whether in prisons, detention facilities, house arrest, or internal exile. The term appears in demographic reports, human-rights documentation, and period writings, often alongside related terms like reclusas or detenidas.

Cultural usage: In literature and journalism, confinadas can be used figuratively to describe women limited by social norms, political imprisonment, or personal circumstances. It may appear as a descriptive label or as part of a narrative exploring the effects and dynamics of confinement.

See also: Related terms include reclusión, detención, and confinamiento.

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