Synonyms

polo shirt

American

noun

a short-sleeved, pullover sport shirt, usually of cotton or cottonlike knit, with a round neckband or a turnover collar.

polo shirt British

noun

a knitted cotton short-sleeved shirt with a collar and three-button opening at the neck

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of polo shirt

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An impeccable, crisp-collared rugby shirt—over a polo shirt.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

It took something as simple as a white polo shirt and styled it differently for different generations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

Ocalan was wearing a branded Lacoste polo shirt, and in an indication of his enduring relevance, the shirt quickly went viral and websites ran out of stock.

From BBC • Jul. 11, 2025

Meanwhile, walking alongside him — and failing to keep up — I’ve sweat completely through my polo shirt.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2025

He rips off his baseball uniform to reveal a very Tiny purple polo shirt and chino shorts.

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023