What does bandura mean?
The bandura is Ukraine's national instrument, a plucked string instrument that uniquely blends the traits of a lute and a zither. It typically has a short fretted or unfretted neck and anywhere from roughly thirty to over sixty strings, which players sound with the fingers of both hands rather than with a plectrum. Closely tied to Ukrainian identity, the bandura has historically been associated with wandering minstrels known as kobzari, who performed epic songs called dumy. Because of its cultural significance, the instrument became a target of Soviet repression in the twentieth century, yet it survived and remains central to Ukrainian folk ensembles and national celebrations today. For English speakers, 'bandura' appears chiefly in writing about world music and Ukrainian heritage.
nounA bandura is a Ukrainian plucked-string folk instrument combining features of the lute and the zither, typically with a large number of strings played with the fingers of both hands.
- A Ukrainian plucked string instrument with a short neck and many strings, combining zither and lute characteristics, played by bandurists especially in folk and traditional music.
- (Rarely) music played on this instrument or a performance featuring it.
"The ensemble opened the concert with a haunting melody on the bandura."
"She spent years mastering the bandura, its dozens of strings shimmering under her fingers."
"The choir was accompanied by a solo bandura during the traditional Ukrainian song."
Standard plural in English; Ukrainian also uses 'bandury'.
"The museum displays several historic banduras from the nineteenth century."
In the 1930s, Soviet authorities infamously summoned Ukrainian bandurists to a 'congress' — and arrested or executed many of them, making the bandura a symbol of cultural survival.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bandura
The word 'bandura' comes from Ukrainian, ultimately derived from the Greek pandoura, a long-necked lute of antiquity. The term spread through Eastern Europe via Polish as 'bandura', entering English in references to Ukrainian music. It shares a deep root with other plucked instruments whose names echo the same origin, including the pandura, mandola, mandolin, and tambura, all descendants of ancient lute-family terminology.
Related word forms
How bandura is actually used
Bandura is primarily used in musical, cultural, and ethnomusicological contexts; outside discussions of Ukrainian music it is rare. The word is sometimes spelled 'bandoura' in older English texts.
Easily confused with bandura
The kobza is an older Ukrainian fretted lute-like instrument, whereas the bandura is larger, unfretted, and has many more strings.
The mandolin is a small fretted European lute with paired strings, while the bandura is a large Ukrainian instrument with dozens of individual strings.