Ban ‧ quo /ˈbæŋkwəʊ/ BrE AmE
a character in ↑ Shakespeare 's play ↑ Macbeth . Macbeth gives secret orders for Banquo to be murdered, but Banquo later returns as a ↑ ghost during an important celebration, to remind Macbeth that he is guilty and that his plans will fail.