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• polo
  polo

  noun

  a game played on horseback between two teams, each of four players, the object being to score points by driving a wooden ball into the opponents' goal using a long-handled mallet.
• Polo
  Polo

  noun

  Marco c1254–1324, Venetian traveler.

polo

¹ American  

[poh-loh] / ˈpoʊ loʊ /

noun

1. a game played on horseback between two teams, each of four players, the object being to score points by driving a wooden ball into the opponents' goal using a long-handled mallet.

2. any game broadly resembling this, especially water polo.

3. polo shirt.

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Polo ² American  

[poh-loh] / ˈpoʊ loʊ /

noun

1. Marco c1254–1324, Venetian traveler.

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polo ¹ British  

/ ˈpəʊləʊ /

noun

1. a game similar to hockey played on horseback using long-handled mallets ( polo sticks ) and a wooden ball

2. any of several similar games, such as one played on bicycles

3. short for water polo

4. Also called: polo neck.

   1. a collar on a garment, worn rolled over to fit closely round the neck

   2. a garment, esp a sweater, with such a collar

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Polo ² British  

/ ˈpəʊləʊ /

noun

1. Marco (ˈmɑːkəʊ). 1254–1324, Venetian merchant, famous for his account of his travels in Asia. After travelling overland to China (1271–75), he spent 17 years serving Kublai Khan before returning to Venice by sea (1292–95)

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Other Word Forms

• poloist
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of polo

1835–45; < Balti (Tibetan language of Kashmir): ball

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Explanation

Polo is a game in which players on horseback use long mallets to hit rolling balls. Polo is basically field hockey with horses. Modern polo was developed by British military officers in colonial India during the 19th century, inspired by an ancient South Asian sport. Its nickname, "the sport of kings," reflects polo's reputation as a pastime for the wealthy. To play polo, you need a horse — also known as a polo pony — and to belong to a club where the game can be practiced and played competitively. The name polo comes from the Tibetan pulu, "ball."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

polo Polo

Jensen Huang started Nvidia wearing garden-variety polo shirts but is now probably legally required to buy every single black leather jacket he comes across for the rest of his life.

From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2026

He once told a lobbyist who raised quarter horses that he owned a herd of polo ponies, just to one-up him.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

But other endeavors, including a documentary series about polo and a podcast about female founders, made less noise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Two older sisters played water polo at USC, with Rachel now a candidate to play for the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

He had on a white polo shirt, the kind he'd worn at Princeton.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Police said she was pronounced dead at the scene, and a front seat passenger of the Polo was taken to hospital for treatment.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Polo is the latest in a busy Pacific storm season turbo-charged by the El Nino weather phenomenon that has caused unprecedented warming in the equatorial Pacific.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

Hurricane Polo is bringing hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall to Mexico’s west coast after its recent landfall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Hurricane Polo and Tropical Storm Odalys are expected to affect ocean waters through the middle of the week.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

We stood on our hands and stuck our legs out of the water, did underwater twists, and played Marco Polo and chicken with the other kids.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

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