Etymograph

English

banjo

Banjo may come from Spanish bandurria.

  1. Spanishc. 1500–presentbandurriauncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1963banjo

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Spanishc. 1500–presentbandurriauncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1963banjo

Earliest quotation: 1963, Peter Willmott, The Evolution of a Community: “They all came back here — we cleared the…”

The story

From the pronunciation of African slaves, of unknown ultimate origin.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.

Every English word from Spanish bandurria

Today it means

noun 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.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Spanish bandurria / banjo

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