'bandora' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'bandora', which in turn derives from Medieval Latin 'pandura', where 'pandura' referred to a type of stringed instrument.

'bandora' changed from the Medieval Latin word 'pandura' into Italian 'bandora' (and variant spellings such as French 'bandore'), and eventually entered English as 'bandore'/'bandora' and the modern form 'bandora'.

Initially, it referred generally to a lute-like or long-necked stringed instrument ('pandura'), and over time the term came to denote a specific Renaissance plucked string instrument now called a 'bandora'.