banjo

CEFRB2

/ˈbæn.dʒəʊ/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A stringed musical instrument with a round body.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

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

Examples

  • A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the banjo and doesn't.

  • I'd like to learn how to play the banjo.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈbæn.d͡ʒoʊ/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

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

  2. 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.

  3. A miner's round-nosed shovel.

More examples

In context

  • To become a professional banjo player, you need to spend thousands of hours practicing.

  • For quotations using this term, see Citations:banjo.

  • I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee...

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

During the bluegrass concert, the musician played a lively tune on his blank.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From the pronunciation of African slaves, of unknown ultimate origin. Possibly a corruption of bandore (from Spanish bandurria), alternatively from a West African language such as Mandinka banjul, or Kimbundu mbanza.