banjo

/ˈbændʒoʊ/

/ˈbændʒəʊ/

Other forms: banjos; banjoes

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.

Definitions of banjo

1. noun

   a stringed instrument of the guitar family that has long neck and circular body
   type of:

   stringed instrument

   a musical instrument in which taut strings provide the source of sound