A team sport played on horseback where players use long-handled mallets to drive a ball toward goal posts. Also refers to water polo, played in swimming pools, or polo shirts, a style of casual shirt.
From Tibetan 'pulu' meaning 'ball,' borrowed through Persian and then into English via British colonial contact in India during the 19th century. The sport originated in ancient Persia and Tibet before spreading through the British Empire.
Polo is often called 'the sport of kings' not just because of its expense, but because it literally was - ancient Persian royalty used it as training for cavalry warfare! The modern polo shirt got its name because tennis players adopted the comfortable collar design from polo players, showing how sports fashion influences everyday clothing.
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