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

See Examples For:

banjo banjoes banjos

But then we see him at the top of the cliff, strumming the banjo that Maude gave him, choosing to live, although he’d just lost what led him to come to the conclusion.

From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2026

On Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé showcased the black roots of the genre, even bringing on Grammy Award winner Rhiannon Giddens to play banjo on Texas Hold 'Em.

From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026

Among those that have pulled out of appearances are banjo player Béla Fleck, singer Renée Fleming and the musical “Hamilton.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026

Early jazz bands used no string instruments, but as the genre developed, both the banjo and the guitar found places on the jazz stage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025

He and two of his school friends, Eddie Blake and Angus Hay Jr., formed a three-man band, with Joe on banjo, Eddie on drums, and Angus on saxophone.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

The moon had risen higher, and floating in the Sound was a triangle of silver scales, trembling a little to the stiff, tinny drip of the banjoes on the lawn.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

He glanced over at the other two, who were softly strumming their banjoes in the window seat.

From Two Boys and a Fortune, or, the Tyler Will by White, Matthew

Drums and fifes, violins and banjoes, and even jews-harps, all lent their aid to swell the burst of joy and gratulation.

From The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2 or, The Recluse of Jamestown; An historical romance of the Old Dominion by Caruthers, William A. (Alexander)

We'uns lived in de cabins and have de fiddle and de banjoes.

From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves Texas Narratives, Part 1 by Work Projects Administration

He waved one leg in time to the hammered refrain, and the banjoes grew louder.

From Stalky & Co. by Kipling, Rudyard

Those with resources and a parlor might have a piano, while those who had less made do with fiddles and banjos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

Their songs weave in Irish lilting, set against a lively mix of drums, fiddles, flutes, harps, banjos, cello and concertina - skills honed over years of playing house parties, pub céilís and traditional festivals.

From BBC ● May 16, 2026

But another, trickier question soon took shape, highlighting music’s complex genre and racial fault lines: Would country radio stations support Beyoncé’s new direction, with its plucked banjos, foot stomps and lyrics rhyming Texas and Lexus?

From New York Times ● Mar. 27, 2024

The song builds and builds with an electric guitar that matches the singer's mezzo-soprano and four-octave vocals that merge into the heavy country production backed by drums and banjos.

From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2024

Locked glass display cases held rings and necklaces and brooches, and a few guitars and banjos hung on the pine-board-paneled walls to diversify the merchandise.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls