Banquo

3 9.6

A nobleman in Shakespeare's play Macbeth whose ghost haunts the king and a male given name

proper noun
/ˈbæŋkwoʊ/

Literature

: Banquo

The piece opens on Scottish generals Macbeth and Banquo encountering a trio of witches.
the ghost of Banquo
Banquo and Macbeth

Myself and Banquo and I had an overcoat on and I had a military cap pulled down over my face and a rifle slung over my shoulder.

Examples

Banquo's turn will come later, both to be murdered and to appear at Macbeth's banquet.

Academic text (1997)
In Shakespeare's play, the ghost of Banquo appears at the banquet, haunting Macbeth.
'Our fears in Banquo stick deep.'

Macbeth (2015)
To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!

Macbeth (2015)
If it be so, for Banquo's issue have I filed my mind.

Macbeth (2015)
'Banquo and Macbeth, 'all hail.'

Macbeth (2015)
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo.

Macbeth (2015)
Thou know'st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives?

Macbeth (2015)
MACBETH: Here had we now our country's honour roof'd, were the graced person of our Banquo present;

Fiction book (2002)
After a battle with Norway, Macbeth and Banquo, generals in the Scottish army, encounter three witches who tell them that Macbeth will be king and Banquo will be the father of a line of kings.

Fiction book (2002)

Surface Forms

Banquo main

Etymology

Banquo is the name Shakespeare used for a Scottish nobleman in Macbeth; Shakespeare likely invented or made the name famous from older stories, and we remember him for his ghost at the royal banquet. So Banquo now refers to that character and is sometimes used as a man's name.