word

totem

TOH-tem

ˈtoʊtəm

Listen

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Syllable breakdown

totem

Dictionary meaning

A natural object or animal believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance, adopted as an emblem of a clan or family; a carved or painted representation of such.

History and origin

Ojibwe (Algonquian) — 'ototeman' meaning 'his totem', a kinship term.

Examples

The totem pole stood forty feet tall outside the Haida longhouse.

Common mispronunciations

TOH-tumtoh-TEM

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