polo

1 of 2

noun (1)

po·​lo ˈpō-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce polo (audio)
1
: a game played by teams of players on horseback using mallets with long flexible handles to drive a wooden ball through goalposts
2
: water polo
3
: polo shirt
poloist
ˈpō-(ˌ)lō-ist How to pronounce polo (audio)
noun

poloist

2 of 2

noun (2)

po·​lo·​ist ˈpōlōə̇st How to pronounce poloist (audio)
plural -s
: a polo player

Examples of polo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
And all that talk about horse-girl fashion has led to a rise in preppy sweaters, including cable-knit, argyle, and polos. — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2026 At Lacoste, the classic crocodile logo was inverted on polos, while Gucci’s Demna and Dries Van Noten’s Julian Klausner gave rugbys a bougie Euro spin. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026 On the formalwear front, the traditional suit remains unchanged but can be updated with a choice between a new blue-and-white striped shirt, or the beige polo. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 Water polo Harvard-Westlake made a big move in the water polo rankings this week with consecutive wins over JSerra and Santa Margarita. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for polo

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Balti, ball

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of polo was in 1841

Phrases Containing polo

Rhymes for polo

See All Rhymes for polo

Browse Nearby Words

pollywog
polo
Polo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polo. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

polo

noun
po·​lo ˈpō-lō How to pronounce polo (audio)
: a game played by teams of players on horseback using long-handled mallets to drive a wooden ball
poloist
ˈpō-lō-əst How to pronounce polo (audio)
noun

Biographical Definition

Polo

biographical name

Po·​lo ˈpō-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce Polo (audio)
Mar*co ˈmär-(ˌ)kō How to pronounce Polo (audio) 1254–1324 Venetian traveler

More from Merriam-Webster on polo

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about polo

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