What does polo mean?
Polo most commonly denotes a team sport traditionally played on horseback. Two teams of riders use long-handled mallets to strike a small ball across a field, scoring goals by sending it between the opposing side's posts. Matches are traditionally divided into periods called chukkers. The word also has a well-established clothing meaning: a polo shirt is a lightweight short-sleeved shirt with a collar and a short button placket. In casual speech, the shirt is often called simply a “polo,” especially in the United States, though “polo shirt” remains the more explicit term in formal contexts. Polo is associated with an equestrian tradition and has also become prominent in country clubs, universities, and affluent casual fashion. In British usage, polo more commonly refers to the mounted sport, while the clothing item may be described as a polo shirt rather than simply a polo.
A team sport played on horseback, in which players use mallets to strike a ball between two opposing teams.
"Polo is traditionally played at a fast pace on a large grass field."
Informally, a polo shirt, especially a short-sleeved collared shirt with buttons at the neck.
"She chose a white polo for the warm afternoon."
As the name of a sport, polo is normally uncountable. “Polos” is used for multiple polo shirts and, less commonly, for individual polo matches.
"The shop displayed polos in several colors."
Polo began as a mounted game and later became one of the most recognizable symbols of upscale casual clothing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does polo come from?
The English name for the mounted sport is commonly traced to the Tibetan word pulu, meaning “ball.” Its form in English became established during the 19th century, when polo was introduced to British India by military officers who encountered the game in northern India. The separate clothing sense developed later through the name of the polo shirt and subsequently shortened by ordinary noun usage.
How polo is actually used
The sport's name is usually treated as an uncountable noun when referring to the game itself. The clothing sense is informal and commonly shortened from “polo shirt,” though the shortened form is now standard in everyday use.