'bandura' originates from Ukrainian, specifically the word 'bandura', ultimately tracing back to Medieval Greek 'pandoura', where the original term referred to a type of stringed instrument.

'bandura' changed from the Medieval Greek word 'pandoura' and passed into Slavic languages (with p- often becoming b- in some borrowings), eventually becoming the modern English word 'bandura' via Ukrainian/Polish forms.

Initially, it meant a general lute-like or long-necked stringed instrument, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of a specific multi-stringed Ukrainian folk instrument.