Pole may refer to:

Astronomy

Celestial pole The north and south celestial poles are the two points in the sky where Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the celestial sphere. The north and south celestial poles appear permanently directly overhead to observers a ...

, the projection of the planet Earth's axis of rotation onto the celestial sphere; also applies to the axis of rotation of other planets *

Pole star A pole star or polar star is a star, preferably bright, nearly aligned with the axis of a rotating astronomical body. Currently, Earth's pole stars are Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris), a bright magnitude-2 star aligned approximately with its ...

, a visible star that is approximately aligned with the Earth's axis of rotation * Orbital pole, the projection of the line perpendicular to planet Earth's orbit onto the celestial sphere; also applies to the orbit of other planets *

Poles of astronomical bodies The poles of astronomical bodies are determined based on their axis of rotation in relation to the celestial poles of the celestial sphere. Astronomical bodies include stars, planets, dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies such as comets a ...

, concepts analogous to the Earth's geographic and magnetic poles on other planets and Solar System bodies

Cylindrical objects

A solid

cylindrical A cylinder (from ) has traditionally been a three-dimensional solid, one of the most basic of curvilinear geometric shapes. In elementary geometry, it is considered a prism with a circle as its base. A cylinder may also be defined as an in ...

object or

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

with its length greater than its diameter, for example: *

Asherah pole An Asherah pole is a sacred tree or pole that stood near Canaanite religious locations to honor the Ugaritic mother goddess Asherah, consort of El. The relation of the literary references to an ''asherah'' and archaeological finds of Judaean pil ...

, a sacred tree or pole that stood near Canaanite religious locations to honor the Ugaritic mother-goddess Asherah, consort of El *

Barber's pole A barber's pole is a type of sign used by barbers to signify the place or shop where they perform their craft. The trade sign is, by a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, a staff or pole with a helix of colored stripes (often red and w ...

, advertising the barber shop *

Ceremonial pole A ceremonial pole is a stake or post utilised or Worship, venerated as part of a ceremony or Religion, religious ritual. Ceremonial poles may symbolize a variety of concepts in different ceremonies and rituals practiced by a variety of culture ...

or festival pole symbolizes a variety of concepts in several different cultures *

Fireman's pole A fireman's pole (also called a firefighter's pole, sliding pole or fire pole) is a pole that firefighters slide down to quickly reach the ground floor of a fire station. This allows them to respond to an emergency call faster, as they arrive ...

, wooden pole or a metal tube or pipe installed between floors in fire stations * Flagpole (structure), metal pole from which a flag is hung * Gin pole, a supported pole which uses a pulley or block and tackle on its upper end to lift loads *

Lamppost A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...

, a raised source of light on the edge of a road * Quant pole, a pole used for pushing barges or punts * Setting pole, a pole used for propelling boats in shallow waters *

Pole (surveying) In surveying Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying ...

, used in geographical surveying *

Totem pole Totem poles ( hai, gyáaʼaang) are monumental carvings found in western Canada and the northwestern United States. They are a type of Northwest Coast art, consisting of poles, posts or pillars, carved with symbols or figures. They are usually ...

, monumental sculptures carved from great trees *

Trolley pole A trolley pole is a tapered cylindrical pole of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a "live" (electrified) overhead wire to the control and the electric traction motors of a tram or trolley bus. It is a type of current collector. ...

Utility pole A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights. It c ...

, also called a telephone pole, telegraph pole or power pole, a pole that carries utility wires *Poles used in sporting and other activities: ** Dance pole, a pole used for pole dancing and

pole sports Pole sports, or poling, merges dance and acrobatics using a vertical metal pole. Athletes climb up, spin from, hang off, flip onto, jump off, and invert on poles. Poling requires agility, strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility. A 2017 study ...

Danish pole A Danish pole is a circus prop, consisting of a wooden pole about 4 metres long and with a 5 cm diameter. It is fastened to a turnable base on the bottom and to a rope on top. The rope can be slackened, causing the pole to hang at an angle and pe ...

, a circus prop **

Festivus Festivus () is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focu ...

pole, a pole used in the celebration of Festivus that is traditionally made of aluminium **

Fishing pole A fishing rod is a long, thin rod used by anglers to catch fish by manipulating a line ending in a hook (formerly known as an ''angle'', hence the term "angling"). At its most basic form, a fishing rod is a straight rigid stick/pole with a ...

, tool used to catch fish **

Foul pole A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...

, used in the sport of baseball to distinguish foul balls from fair balls hit into the outfield **

Maypole A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place. The festivals may occur on 1 May or Pentecost (Whitsun), although in some countries it is instead erected at ...

, a tall wooden pole with ornaments, like ribbons, that is danced around **

Pole bending Pole bending is a timed event that features a horse and one mounted rider, running a weaving or serpentine path around six poles arranged in a line. This event is usually seen in high school rodeos and 4-H events as well as American Quarter Hor ...

, a rodeo event that involves riding a horse around six poles arranged in a line **

Pole position In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the ra ...

, in motorsport, the position at the front of the starting grid (originally marked with a pole) **

Polesaw A polesaw (also pole saw or giraffe saw) is a saw attached to a pole or long handle that is used for cutting tree branches that are beyond arm's reach. A polesaw allows its user to cut high branches without the use of a ladder. Polesaws can be ...

, a saw attached to a pole for cutting tree branches **

Pole-sitting Pole sitting is the practice of sitting on top of a pole (such as a flagpole) for extended lengths of time, generally used as a test of endurance. A small platform is typically placed at the top of the pole for the sitter. Led by the stunt actor ...

pole, a pole used for pole sitting, which is the practice of sitting on a pole for extended lengths of time **

Pole vault Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the My ...

ing pole, a pole used for pole vaulting **

Pole weapon A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly ...

, combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood **

Ski pole Ski poles, also referred to as poles (in North America), sticks (UK), or stocks (Australia), are used by skiers for balance and propulsion. Modern ski poles are most commonly made from aluminum and carbon fiber, though materials such as bamboo are ...

, a pole used by skiers to improve balance, speed and acceleration **

Spinnaker pole A spinnaker pole is a spar used in sailboats (both dinghys and yachts) to help support and control a variety of headsails, particularly the spinnaker. However, it is also used with other sails, such as genoas and jibs, when sailing downwind w ...

, a spar used in sailboats to help support and control a variety of headsails, particularly the spinnaker ** Trekking pole, also called hiking sticks or hiking poles, a pole used for hiking

Geography and places

Geographical pole A geographical pole or geographic pole is either of the two points on Earth where its axis of rotation intersects its surface. The North Pole lies in the Arctic Ocean while the South Pole is in Antarctica. North and South poles are also def ...

, either of two fixed points on the surface of a spinning body or planet, at 90 degrees from the equator, based on the axis around which a body spins **

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...

, the northernmost point on the surface of the Earth, where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects the Earth's surface **

Polar circle A polar circle is a geographic term for a conditional circular line (arc) referring either to the Arctic Circle or the Antarctic Circle. These are two of the keynote circles of latitude (parallels). On Earth, the Arctic Circle is currently ...

, either of two circles of latitude marking the extreme southerly points (northern hemisphere) or northerly points (southern hemisphere) at which the sun may remain above or below the horizon for 24 continuous hours at some point during the year **

Polar region The polar regions, also called the frigid zones or polar zones, of Earth are the regions of the planet that surround its geographical poles (the North and South Poles), lying within the polar circles. These high latitudes are dominated by flo ...

, the region within the polar circles, referred to as the Arctic and Antarctic **

South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, Terrestrial South Pole or 90th Parallel South, is one of the two points where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on Earth and lies antipod ...

, the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth, where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects the Earth's surface *** Ceremonial South Pole, an area set aside for photo opportunities at the South Pole Station * Magnetic poles of astronomical bodies **

North Magnetic Pole The north magnetic pole, also known as the magnetic north pole, is a point on the surface of Earth's Northern Hemisphere at which the planet's magnetic field points vertically downward (in other words, if a magnetic compass needle is allowed ...

, the shifting point on the Earth to which the "north" end of a dipole magnet points ** South Magnetic Pole, the shifting point on the Earth to which the "south" end of a dipole magnet points *The

Tibetan Plateau The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central, South and East Asia covering most of the T ...

, also known as the "Third Pole" **

Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow ...

, the third "top" of the Earth and part of the Three Poles Challenge *

Pole of inaccessibility A pole of inaccessibility with respect to a geographical criterion of inaccessibility marks a location that is the most challenging to reach according to that criterion. Often it refers to the most distant point from the coastline, implying a ...

, a location that is the most challenging to reach owing to its remoteness from geographical features which could provide access * Pole, Lubusz Voivodeship (west Poland) * Pole, Botswana, a village in the North East District of Botswana * The West Pole, Texas * Hanbury Manor, Ware, Hertfordshire, formerly known as "Poles"

Fictional

*"East Pole" and "West Pole", imaginary locations; Christopher Robin tells

Winnie-the-Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. The first collection of stories about the character was the book ''Winn ...

that these exist as well but "people don't like talking about them"

Science, technology, and mathematics

* Pole (electrical circuits) - In electrical circuit theory, a circuit terminal, either physical or abstract **

Electric battery An electric battery is a source of electric power consisting of one or more electrochemical cells with external connections for powering electrical devices. When a battery is supplying power, its positive terminal is the cathode and its nega ...

terminals * In switch contact terminology, the number of circuits controlled by a switch * Pole (unit of length), a unit of length equal to 5 yards, or 16 feet (5.0292 metres): also known as a rod, or a perch *

Landau pole In physics, the Landau pole (or the Moscow zero, or the Landau ghost) is the momentum (or energy) scale at which the coupling constant (interaction strength) of a quantum field theory becomes infinite. Such a possibility was pointed out by the phy ...

, the energy scale where a coupling constant of a quantum field theory becomes infinite * Magnetic pole, one of the two ends of a magnet *

Monopole (disambiguation) Monopole may refer to: * Magnetic monopole, or Dirac monopole, a hypothetical particle that may be loosely described as a magnet with only one pole * Monopole (mathematics), a connection over a principal bundle G with a section (the Higgs field) ...

, multiple definitions * Mathematics ** Pole, one of the pair of

antipodal point In mathematics, antipodal points of a sphere are those diametrically opposite to each other (the specific qualities of such a definition are that a line drawn from the one to the other passes through the center of the sphere so forms a true ...

s 90° away from a

great circle In mathematics, a great circle or orthodrome is the circular intersection of a sphere and a plane passing through the sphere's center point. Any arc of a great circle is a geodesic of the sphere, so that great circles in spherical geometry ...

on a

sphere A sphere () is a Geometry, geometrical object that is a solid geometry, three-dimensional analogue to a two-dimensional circle. A sphere is the Locus (mathematics), set of points that are all at the same distance from a given point in three ...

. **

Pole (complex analysis) In complex analysis (a branch of mathematics), a pole is a certain type of singularity of a complex-valued function of a complex variable. In some sense, it is the simplest type of singularity. Technically, a point is a pole of a function if ...

, a certain type of mathematical singularity **An element of the configuration of perspective triangles **

Pole and polar In geometry, a pole and polar are respectively a point and a line that have a unique reciprocal relationship with respect to a given conic section. Polar reciprocation in a given circle is the transformation of each point in the plane into it ...

, a point that describes the position and orientation of a line with respect to a given circle ** Pole and polar line, a duality with respect to

conic section In mathematics, a conic section, quadratic curve or conic is a curve obtained as the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane. The three types of conic section are the hyperbola, the parabola, and the ellipse; the circle is a ...

s in

projective geometry In mathematics, projective geometry is the study of geometric properties that are invariant with respect to projective transformations. This means that, compared to elementary Euclidean geometry, projective geometry has a different setting, pr ...

* Mechanics ** Pole, or origin of planes, a certain point on the

Mohr's circle Mohr's circle is a two-dimensional graphical representation of the transformation law for the Cauchy stress tensor. Mohr's circle is often used in calculations relating to mechanical engineering for materials' strength, geotechnical engineer ...

, used in stress analysis of materials * Meteorology **

Polar climate The polar climate regions are characterized by a lack of warm summers but with varying winters. Every month in a polar climate has an average temperature of less than . Regions with polar climate cover more than 20% of the Earth's area. Most of ...

, the climate of the polar regions, characterized by a lack of warm summers **

Polar front In meteorology, the polar front is the weather front boundary between the polar cell and the Ferrel cell around the 60° latitude, near the polar regions, in both hemisphere. At this boundary a sharp gradient in temperature occurs between these ...

, the boundary region between the polar cell and the Ferrel cell in each hemisphere * Pole figure, a method for representing crystal symmetry

Psychology and biology

*Anterior and posterior poles, surface vertices of the eye's lens *

Fetal pole The fetal pole is a thickening on the margin of the yolk sac of a fetus during pregnancy. It is usually identified at six weeks with vaginal ultrasound and at six and a half weeks with abdominal ultrasound. However, it is not unheard of for the ...

, a thickening on the margin of the yolk sac of a fetus during pregnancy * Pole of kidney *

POLE (gene) DNA polymerase epsilon catalytic subunit is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''POLE'' gene. It is the central catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase epsilon DNA polymerase epsilon is a member of the DNA polymerase family of enzymes found ...

, a DNA polymerase epsilon catalytic subunit – enzyme that in humans is encoded by the POLE gene *

Cell (biology) The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life forms. Every cell consists of a cytoplasm enclosed within a membrane, and contains many biomolecules such as proteins, DNA and RNA, as well as many small molecules of nutrients ...

, either extremity of the main axis of a nucleus, cell, or organism. Important structures situated close to such extremities have also been regarded as poles (e.g. animal cell centrosomes). * East Pole–West Pole divide, an intellectual schism between researchers in the fields of cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience

Music

* Pole (musician), an electronica solo project by Stefan Betke * ''Pole'' (Stockhausen), a 1970 composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen * ''Pole'' (album)

Names and people

* Poles, people originating from, or inhabiting, the country of Poland *

Pole (surname) The surname Pole usually derives from "Pool", a person associated with a body of water. The Welsh ''de la Pole''s descended from Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn take their name from the previous association with the place Welshpool. The link between the kni ...

* Pole (musician), an electronic music artist named Stefan Betke

Fictional characters

*Pole, an opponent in the video game ''

Yie Ar Kung-Fu () is an arcade fighting game developed by Konami. It first had a limited Japanese release in October 1984, before having a wide release nationwide in January 1985 and then internationally in March 1985. Along with '' Karate Champ'' (1984), whic ...

'' * Jill Pole, a fictional character from C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series

Politics

* Pole (Venezuela) (Polo), a political party in Venezuela