30 Must-Know Water Polo Terms, Phrases and Slang

58 water polo terms explained, from eggbeater, hole set and exclusion to man-up, skip shot and ball under, plus the slang players use.

Water polo terminology borrows from basketball, soccer and swimming, then adds a layer of its own for everything that happens where the referees cannot see it. The words related to water polo below name the positions, the fouls and the shots, and the words associated with treading, pressing and swimming the counterattack belong to the same vocabulary. The water polo glossary further down puts all of them in alphabetical order for quick reference.

New to the game? Our guide to water polo rules explains how a game works from start to finish, which makes most of the terms below fall into place.

👉 Think you know water polo? Test yourself with our Water Polo Quiz.

Must-Know Water Polo Terms, Phrases and Slang:

Water Polo Glossary: Every Term A to Z

Numbers and Terms A to C

Term	What It Means
2-meter line	The line two metres out from the goal. An attacker may not sit inside it without the ball.
5-meter line	The line five metres out. Penalty shots are taken from it, and fouls inside it can become penalties.
Advantage rule	The referee lets play run on when stopping it would help the team that committed the foul.
Attacker	Any player on the team with the ball. The attacking roles are hole set, drivers, wings and the point.
Backhand	A shot released with the back of the hand toward the goal, thrown across the body without winding up.
Ball out	The call when the ball leaves the field of play. The team that did not touch it last restarts.
Ball under	The foul of pushing the ball under the water while being tackled. Possession goes over.
Brutality	A violent foul that removes the player for the rest of the game and leaves their team short for four minutes.
Cap	The numbered, ear-guarded headgear every player wears. Colors separate the teams, and the goalkeepers wear red.
Center defender	The defender marking the hole set. Also called hole D, and the most physical job in the pool.
Corner throw	The restart when a defender last touches the ball before it goes over their own goal line.
Counterattack	The fast break upfield the moment possession is won, before the other team can set its defense.
Cross pass	A pass sent across the front of the goal from one side of the attack to the other.

Terms D to H

Term	What It Means
Drive	An attacker’s sudden swim toward the goal to break free of a defender and take a pass.
Driver	The fast, mobile attacker whose job is to swim those drives and finish close to goal.
Drop	A defender leaving their own player to help guard the hole set.
Dry pass	A pass caught out of the air without the ball touching the water. Faster and harder to intercept.
Ear guards	The plastic covers on the cap that protect the ears.
Eggbeater	The alternating circular leg kick that holds a player upright and high in the water with both hands free.
Ejection	An older name for an exclusion.
Exclusion	A major foul that sends a player out of play for twenty seconds and leaves their team a player short.
Field player	Any player other than the goalie.
Free throw	The restart given to the fouled team after an ordinary foul. It must be put into play without delay.
Front court	The half of the pool where the attack is set up, from mid-pool to the opponent’s goal.
Goal throw	The restart taken by the goalkeeper when the ball goes over the goal line off an attacker.
Goalie	The keeper. The only player allowed to touch the ball with two hands, and only inside their own five metres.
Hole guard	The defender who guards the hole set, also called the 2-meter defender.
Hole set	The center forward, positioned right in front of the goal with a defender on their back. The pivot of the attack.

Terms J to Q

Term	What It Means
Jump shot	A shot released at the top of a push out of the water, used to shoot over a blocking defender.
Kick out	Everyday name for an exclusion, from the player being kicked out of play for twenty seconds.
Leaving early	A defender swimming off before the counterattack starts, to get an advantage.
Lob shot	A high, arcing shot floated over the goalkeeper’s reach into the far corner.
Major foul	A serious foul such as sinking, pulling back or holding an opponent. It is punished with an exclusion.
Man-down	Defending with one player fewer while a teammate serves an exclusion.
Man-up	Attacking with the extra player during an opponent’s exclusion. Also called six on five.
Offensive foul	A foul by the player with the ball, usually pushing off a defender. Possession turns over.
Ordinary foul	A minor foul, such as holding an attacker without the ball, punished only with a free throw.
Penalty shot	A free shot from the five metre line against the goalkeeper alone, given for a major foul close to goal.
Perimeter	The area outside the five metre line where the attack circulates the ball looking for an opening.
Press defense	Marking every attacker tightly rather than dropping back toward the goal.
Pump fake	Faking the shot to make the goalkeeper or a defender commit, then shooting or passing for real.
Quarter	One of the four periods a match is divided into. Their length depends on the level of play.

Terms R to Z

Term	What It Means
Re-entry area	The zone in the corner of the pool where excluded players wait and come back in.
Referee	One of the two officials working opposite sides of the pool, calling fouls and exclusions.
Screen	Blocking a defender’s path so a teammate can swim free into open water.
Shootout	A series of penalty shots used to break a tie in knockout games.
Shot clock	The limit on how long a team may hold possession before shooting, thirty seconds at senior level.
Sinking	Pushing an opponent under the water, a major foul.
Six on five	The man-up situation itself, six attackers against five defenders and the goalkeeper.
Skip shot	A shot bounced off the surface of the water so it changes height in front of the goalkeeper.
Sprint	The swim-off at the start of each quarter, both teams racing from their goal lines for the ball at mid-pool.
Steal	Taking the ball directly from an opponent, usually as it arrives on a pass.
Treading water	Staying upright and afloat in place. In water polo this is done almost entirely with the eggbeater.
Turnover	Losing possession, whether through a foul, a bad pass or a steal.
Weak side	The side of the pool away from the ball, where defenders are usually fewest.
Wet pass	A pass thrown deliberately into the water in front of a teammate, most often to the hole set.
Wing	The attacking position on either side of the pool close to the goal line.
Zone defense	Defending space in front of the goal rather than marking individual attackers.

What Is It Called When…? Water Polo Terms by Situation

Know what happened but not the word for it? Find the situation on the left and the water polo term on the right.

When…	It Is Called
An attacker pushes the ball under water when tackled	Ball under
A player is sent out for 20 seconds	Exclusion
A team plays six against five	Man-up
A team plays five against six	Man-down
An attacker pushes off the defender	Offensive foul
A foul inside 5 meters stops a probable goal	Penalty shot
Players race to the ball at the start of a quarter	Sprint
Players tread water with alternating circular kicks	Eggbeater
An attacker swims to the goal to get free	Drive
A teammate blocks a defender’s path	Screen
A pass reaches the hand without touching the water	Dry pass
A pass lands in the water next to the receiver	Wet pass
The ball bounces off the water into the goal	Skip shot
The hole set shoots with the back to the goal	Backhand
A player fakes a shot to make the goalie commit	Pump fake
The ball goes over the goal line off an attacker	Goal throw
The ball goes over the goal line off a defender	Corner throw
A team attacks fast after winning the ball	Counterattack

#1 Ball Under

A foul called when the player holding the ball pushes it under the water while being tackled. The ball goes to the other team. Defenders try to provoke it by pressing the attacker down onto the ball.

In a sentence: “Ball under, that’s a turnover going the other way.”

#2 Cap

The numbered cap every player wears, with plastic ear guards to protect against blows. One team wears light caps, the other dark, and goalies wear red caps with number 1.

In a sentence: “Number seven in the white cap has three goals already.”

#3 Counterattack

A fast break after a change of possession, swimming hard to attack before the defense is set. Teams often gain a numerical advantage this way and score before the other side can swim back.

In a sentence: “Steal at the two-meter line and they’re off on the counterattack.”

#4 Driver

An attacker on the perimeter who swims hard toward the goal to get free for a pass or draw an exclusion. The move itself is called a drive.

In a sentence: “Their driver beat his man and got a clean shot from five meters.”

#5 Eggbeater

The treading kick used in water polo: the legs move in alternating circles, so the body stays high and steady with both hands free. It lets players stay up for passing, shooting and blocking throughout the game.

In a sentence: “Strong eggbeater, he’s up out of the water to block the shot.”

#6 Exclusion

Sending a player out for 20 seconds after a major foul. The player goes to the re-entry area and can come back after 20 seconds, after a goal, or when their team regains possession. A player with three personal exclusions is out for the game.

In a sentence: “That’s an exclusion, he’s out for twenty seconds.”

#7 Goalie

The goalkeeper, who wears the red cap. Goalies are the only players allowed to touch the ball with both hands at once, and they can punch the ball away.

In a sentence: “Their goalie made eleven saves and kept them in the game.”

#8 Hole Set

The center forward, who sets up close to the goal at about two meters with their back to it. The hole set wrestles with the defender, shoots backhands and draws exclusions. Also called the center or two-meter man.

In a sentence: “Get the ball to the hole set, he’s drawing the exclusion every time.”

#9 Man-up

Playing with one player more than the opponent because of an exclusion, usually six on five. Teams have set plays for it, and converting man-up chances often decides close games.

In a sentence: “They went three for four on the man-up in the second half.”

#10 Offensive Foul

A foul by an attacker, usually pushing off the defender to get space or swimming over them. Possession goes to the defending team.

In a sentence: “He pushed off his defender, offensive foul.”

#11 Penalty Shot

A free shot from the 5-meter line against the goalie alone, awarded for a foul that prevents a probable goal inside the 5-meter area. The shooter must shoot in one motion, without faking.

In a sentence: “Penalty shot, and he puts it low in the corner.”

#12 Perimeter

The arc of attacking positions around the 5-meter line, outside the hole set. Players there pass the ball around to find a shot or a drive, and teams use 3-3 or 4-2 formations to set them up.

In a sentence: “They worked it around the perimeter and found the open shooter.”

#13 Quarter

One of the four periods of a game. International quarters last eight minutes of playing time, with the clock stopping when play stops. School levels often play shorter quarters.

In a sentence: “They’re up by two going into the fourth quarter.”

#14 Screen

Blocking a defender’s path with the body so a teammate can get free or shoot. It works like a pick in basketball, and it must be done without holding or pushing.

In a sentence: “He set the screen and his teammate drove right through.”

#15 Shot Clock

The clock that limits how long a team can keep the ball without shooting, 30 seconds at the top level. It resets to a shorter time after some exclusions and corner throws.

In a sentence: “Shot clock’s running down, they have to shoot.”

#16 Sprint

The swim-off at the start of each quarter. Players line up on their own goal lines, the ball is placed at center pool, and one player from each team races to reach it first.

In a sentence: “He won every sprint and gave them possession to start each quarter.”

#17 Treading Water

Staying upright in deep water by moving the legs and arms. Water polo players use the eggbeater kick, because they may not touch the bottom of the pool.

In a sentence: “You’ll be treading water for the whole game, so build up those legs.”

#18 Turnover

Losing possession without taking a shot, for example through a steal, an offensive foul, a ball under call or the shot clock running out.

In a sentence: “Another turnover, and they have to swim back on defense.”

#19 Weak Side

The side of the pool away from the ball, where the defense has fewer players. Attackers move there to get free, and switching the ball to the weak side quickly often creates an open shot.

In a sentence: “Swing it to the weak side, there’s nobody over there.”

#20 Wing

The attacking positions on either side of the goal, near the 2-meter line. Left-handers are prized on the right wing, where their shooting angle is better.

In a sentence: “Their left-handed wing scored three from that angle.”

#21 Advantage Rule

The referee’s option not to call a foul if calling it would take an advantage away from the team that was fouled. It keeps counterattacks going.

In a sentence: “The referee played advantage, and they scored on the counter.”

#22 Backhand

A shot thrown backward with the back to the goal, usually by the hole set, flicking the ball over the shoulder. It is hard for the goalie to read.

In a sentence: “The hole set flicked a backhand into the corner.”

#23 Ball Out

The call when the ball leaves the field of play over the side or end lines. Play restarts with a free throw, a goal throw or a corner throw, depending on where it went out and who touched it last.

In a sentence: “Ball out off the defender, corner throw.”

#24 Dry Pass

A pass thrown so it reaches the teammate’s hand without touching the water. It is faster and harder to intercept than a wet pass, which lands in the water next to the receiver.

In a sentence: “Nice dry pass to the wing, and he shoots straight off it.”

#25 Front Court

The half of the pool where a team is attacking, as opposed to the back court it defends. Teams try to set up their front court offense before the shot clock gets low.

In a sentence: “They’re slow getting into the front court.”

#26 Goal Throw

The restart when the ball goes over the goal line, last touched by an attacker. The goalie or another defender restarts play by throwing the ball out from the 2-meter area.

In a sentence: “Shot goes wide, goal throw to the defense.”

#27 Jump Shot

A shot taken after rising high out of the water with a strong eggbeater kick, so the shooter can throw over the defender’s arm.

In a sentence: “He rose up for the jump shot over the defender.”

#28 Major Foul

A foul punished with an exclusion or a penalty shot, such as holding, sinking or pulling back an opponent who does not have the ball. Violent fouls lead to a brutality call and removal for the rest of the game.

In a sentence: “That’s a major foul, he pulled him back on the counter.”

#29 Pump Fake

Faking a shot with the arm to make the goalie or defender commit, then shooting or passing. Players often use it to get the goalie to lift off the water before the real shot.

In a sentence: “Pump fake, the goalie went, and the shot went in under him.”

#30 Skip Shot

A shot thrown down onto the water so it bounces up and into the goal. The bounce makes it hard for the goalie to judge, especially when the goalie is high out of the water.

In a sentence: “He skipped it in off the water, the goalie had no chance.”

Water Polo Slang Players and Fans Actually Use

Slang	What It Means
Two-meter	The hole set or center position, named after the distance from the goal.
Set	Short for hole set.
Kick out	Another word for an exclusion.
Six on five	A man-up situation.
Dry	A dry pass, as in “give me a dry one”.
Wet	A wet pass placed in the water next to the receiver.
Lob	A high, looping shot over the goalie.
Skip	A skip shot.
Counter	A counterattack.
Ejection	The old word for exclusion that many players still use.

Water Polo Expressions and Sayings in Everyday English

Keep your head above water: To manage to survive in a difficult situation, used long before water polo but felt literally in every game.
Tread water: To stay in the same place without making progress, a phrase every water polo player lives out on every possession.
Swim against the tide: To go against the general trend, an image any swimmer knows.

FAQ

What is an attacker in water polo?

An attacker is any player on the team in possession. The attack is built from roles: the hole set in front of the goal, two wings on the sides and drivers on the perimeter.

What is it called when an attacker creates separation from a defender in water polo?

Getting free, and the swim that does it is a drive. Attackers also use a screen, where a teammate blocks the defender’s path.

What are the four parts of a water polo match called?

Quarters, also called periods. International quarters are eight minutes of playing time, and school levels often play shorter ones.

What is an offensive foul in water polo?

It is a foul by an attacker, most often pushing off the defender to make space, and it costs the attacking team the ball.

What is a dry pass in water polo?

A pass thrown so it reaches the teammate’s hand without ever touching the water. It is faster and harder to intercept than a wet pass.

What are some words related to water polo?

They fall into groups: positions (hole set, driver, wing, center defender, goalie), fouls and penalties (exclusion, major foul, ball under, penalty shot), skills (eggbeater, dry pass, skip shot) and game situations (man-up, counterattack, shot clock). The water polo glossary above lists them all.

What are some water polo terms for beginners?

Start with the eggbeater kick that keeps players up, the hole set in front of the goal and the exclusion that sends a player out for 20 seconds. Then learn man-up, ball under and dry pass, and the game makes sense from the stands.

What are some water polo slang terms?

Two-meter or set for the center position, kick out for an exclusion, dry and wet for the two kinds of pass, lob and skip for shots and counter for a fast break. The slang table above has more.

What is the name of the headgear in water polo?

It is simply called the cap. It carries the player’s number and has plastic ear guards, and the goalies wear red caps.

What is an exclusion in water polo?

A 20-second removal for a major foul. The excluded player swims to the re-entry area, and their team plays a player short until the time is up, a goal is scored or they win the ball back.