Meaning
pole, post, stake
- goalpost
- lookout (person on watch)
In a sentence
Hanno messo un palo nuovo davanti al cancello.
They put a new pole in front of the gate.
Il pallone ha colpito il palo ed è uscito.
The ball hit the goalpost and went out.
Chi fa il palo mentre entriamo nel negozio?
Who keeps watch while we go into the shop?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| palo | masculine · singular |
| pali | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- For a utility or street pole, palo is natural; for a flagpole, use pennone; for a post in a fence, paletto or palo both occur.
- In soccer, palo often means the upright or the shot hitting it: prendere il palo = hit the post, not score.
- The money sense (€1000) is colloquial and context-dependent; avoid it in formal writing or if clarity matters.