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banjo

Any of various similar musical instruments, such as the Tuvan doshpuluur, with a membrane-like soundboard.

ˈbæn.dʒəʊDocumented since 1730sSilenthistoricalCurrent216 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
3 definitions
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Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026

Etymology timeline

Born ~1736 · 1 year of recorded use
1736Born2026: 10 citationsToday, 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 26, 2026UK

Any of various similar musical instruments, such as the Tuvan doshpuluur, with a membrane-like soundboard.

Heard in the wild
  • “Banjo Shopping (I wish I could afford this one T.T)”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “I had a Good Times banjo back in the day and I regret selling it so much T.T I wanna relearn how to play”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Easily the best reveal trailer of the bunch. I can't recall the last time I was SO blown away by a reveal. I remember being completely burned out by the time Banjo-Kazooie was shown later that day to the point I didn't have much of a reaction to it.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “me, seventy five years old in the old folks home: banjo's game ends in my tower, turn it up i need full power”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “It's game on the second the banjo hits...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#2·Apr 26, 2026UK

A stringed musical instrument (chordophone), usually with a round body, a membrane-like soundboard and a fretted neck, played by plucking or strumming the strings.

I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee...
Origin: From the pronunciation of African slaves, of unknown ultimate origin. Possibly a corruption of bandore (from ), alternatively from a West African language such as , or. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"banjo" means a stringed musical instrument (chordophone), usually with a round body, a membrane-like soundboard and a fretted neck, played by plucking or strumming the strings. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"banjo" is informal English meaning a stringed musical instrument (chordophone), usually with a round body, a membrane-like soundboard and a fretted neck, played by plucking or strumming the strings. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a stringed musical instrument (chordophone)" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "banjo" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing.

Heard in the wild
  • “Although this is a ragtime piece, Ossman played with classic banjo style.”

  • “Parker is learning the banjo : Code Switch** **Parker has been trying to find her place in the banjo world.”

  • “# Banjo (disambiguation) Banjo (disambiguation) [![Wiktionary logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/120px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg) Look up _**[banjo](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/banjo "wiktionary:banjo")**_ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.”

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UK
#3·Apr 26, 2026UK

(slang) An object shaped like a banjo, especially a frying pan or a shovel.

Heard in the wild
  • “If you’re looking for something soothing, Tom Emlyn’s single 'A Series Of Misunderstandings' is a must. It’s got that unpolished magic that only comes from a spontaneous session between friends Banjo, bass, and piano weave together for a laid-back sound. www.theothersiderevi...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Absolutely. Banjo as well. Indigenous poets.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “The FINALE of Banjo Tooie is out NOW! (Twitch VOD) www.twitch.tv/videos/27653...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Vangoa Banjo 5 String Full Size Banjos Set with Resonator, Remo Head, Beginner Banjo Kit with Closed Back, Premium Accessories for Adults, Teenager #beginnerbanjo #5stringbanjo #banjopackage”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “I kind of do this song on a banjo. Reggae works surprisingly well on a banjo, esp an open-back banjo. The resonator banjo was the electric guitar of its time, optimized to be as loud as possible. A wooden body open back has a whole different feel.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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