Banjo
/ˈbæn.dʒoʊ/noun
A stringed musical instrument with a long neck and a circular body, typically played by plucking.
Did you know?Modern etymologists trace banjo through Black Atlantic history, with strong links to West African plucked lutes and early colonial spellings like banza, making the word itself part of the instrument’s journey.
Etymological Timeline
16th–17th Century
Portuguese
banza
“A West African stringed instrument, recorded by Europeans in contact with Africa”
17th Century
English
banjar / banza
“Early colonial spellings for a similar plucked instrument in the Americas”
18th Century
English
banjo
“A folk stringed instrument associated with African American musical traditions”
Modern English
English
banjo
“The standard name for the instrument in modern English”