Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Traditionally played on string instruments like the dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo, this distinctly twangy genre passed down religious hymns, ballads, and folktales through generations.—Hillary Richard, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 That song is screaming for a fiddle and a banjo.—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026 Her latest venture is an Appalachian bluegrass album, Fiddle and The Drum, with banjo player Béla Fleck.—Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 June 2026 Fortunately, North Carolina’s Avetts aced the assignment with a soul-gripping version of George Harrison’s melodically rich proclamation of hope, this time inflected with fiddle and banjo.—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for banjo
Word History
Etymology
probably of African origin; akin to Kimbundu mbanza, a similar instrument