banjo

American  

[ban-joh] / ˈbæn dʒoʊ /

noun

banjos, plural banjoes plural

1. a musical instrument of the guitar family, having a circular body covered in front with tightly stretched parchment and played with the fingers or a plectrum.

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banjo British  

/ ˈbændʒəʊ /

noun

1. a stringed musical instrument with a long neck (usually fretted) and a circular drumlike body overlaid with parchment, plucked with the fingers or a plectrum

2. slang any banjo-shaped object, esp a frying pan

3. slang a long-handled shovel with a wide blade

4. (modifier) banjo-shaped

   a banjo clock

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banjo Cultural  

1. A stringed musical instrument, played by plucking (see strings). The banjo has a percussive sound and is much used in folk music and bluegrass music.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• banjoist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• banjoes
  plural
• banjos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of banjo

First recorded in 1730–40; compare Jamaican English banja, bonjour, bangil, Brazilian Portuguese banza; probably of African origin; compare Kimbundu mbanza a plucked string instrument

Explanation

A banjo is a musical stringed instrument with a round body and a neck. Bluegrass bands almost always include at least one banjo. A banjo can be played by strumming it like a guitar, or by plucking or picking the strings. Banjos can have four, five, or six strings, and their origins go back to African instruments, whose designs influenced African slaves in Colonial America to create the first banjos. The word banjo was originally used in 18th century America, from the Bantu mbanza, a banjo-like stringed instrument.

Example Sentences

Banjo player Béla Fleck also stepped away from concerts with the NSO and “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz said he no longer plans to host a May 15 gala at the center.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

“I went to Washington Square every Sunday, weather permitting, and the crowd got bigger and bigger,” he said in a 2021 video interview with the American Banjo Museum.

From New York Times • Aug. 2, 2023

After winning the 1967 Cup Series rookie of the year, he partnered with mechanic Banjo Matthews and won three races in 1970, including the Coca-Cola 600.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 2, 2023

Banjo Beale said: "It's hard to pick one thing about Old Train House which made it unique because it had that elusive, hard to define and harder to create feeling of home."

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2023

Whereupon the Banjo and Mandolin Club moved into the house, and presently the strains of a one-step summoned the dancers to the big drawing-room.

From The Turner Twins by Barbour, Ralph Henry