Definition

1. Noun:
   • A team sport played on horseback: "polo" refers to a game where two teams of players on horseback use long-handled mallets to drive a small wooden ball into the opposing team's goal.
   • A Venetian explorer: "Polo" also refers to Marco Polo, the 13th-century Venetian merchant and explorer who traveled extensively in Asia and documented his experiences.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Sport):
  • He has been playing polo since he was a teenager.
  • The polo match was held at the prestigious country club.
• Noun (Person):
  • Marco Polo's travels introduced Europe to many aspects of Asian culture.
  • We studied the journeys of Polo in history class.

Advanced Usage

• "polo shirt": A casual, short-sleeved shirt with a collar and a placket with two or three buttons at the neck.
  • He wore a crisp polo shirt to the casual Friday meeting.
• "water polo": A team water sport played in a swimming pool, where players pass a ball and score goals. (Note: This is a distinct compound term).
  • She is the captain of the university's water polo team.

Variants and Related Words

• Poloist (n): A person who plays the sport of polo.
  • The skilled poloist scored the winning goal.
• Polocrosse (n): A team sport that combines elements of polo and lacrosse, played on horseback.
  • Polocrosse is less well-known than traditional polo.

Synonyms

• Sport: Equestrian sport, horseback game.
• Explorer: Traveler, adventurer, voyager.

Related Phrases

• "polo pony": A horse bred and trained for playing polo.
  • The athlete carefully groomed his polo pony before the game.
• "polo ground" or "polo field": The playing area for the sport of polo.
  • The new polo ground can accommodate large crowds.

Idioms

Noun

1. a game similar to field hockey but played on horseback using long-handled mallets and a wooden ball
2. Venetian traveler who explored Asia in the 13th century and served Kublai Khan (1254-1324)