Poll means to ask people for their opinions or votes, or the collection of those responses itself. Before an election, news organizations conduct polls to find out which candidates voters prefer. A teacher might poll the class about whether to have the test on Friday or Monday. When you poll a group, you're gathering information about what people think or want.

The results of asking these questions are also called a poll. If a poll shows that 60% of students want a longer recess, that information might help the principal make a decision. Political polls try to predict election results by asking thousands of voters who they plan to support. Sometimes polls are surprisingly accurate, but they can also be wrong if they don't ask enough people or if people change their minds.

The word can also mean the place where people vote in an election. On Election Day, citizens go to the polls (also called polling places) to cast their ballots. When polls close at 8 PM, that's when the voting locations stop accepting voters.

A less common meaning: the head of certain animals, particularly cattle or sheep. A polled cow has no horns, either naturally or because they were removed.