totem
- noun
- /ˈtoʊtəm/
- The totem represents the spirit of our clan and is displayed proudly at our gatherings.
- totem pole
- totem carving
- animal totems
That's the sound of of the totem animal.
- That's the sound of of the totem animal.
- I haven't had visions of what we might call like spirit helpers or some people would use the term totems.
- You'll find some people that will take the eagle as a totem, but we use it in the context of a grandfather.
- There's different totem poles on all four directions.
- But if you work your way down, the lowest part of the totem pole is a cold DM or cold e-mail.
Examples
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Kinship between a family group and its animal totem reinforced an intimate connection to its homeland.
Academic text (2018) -
People's names frequently reflected their totem, a nature spirit which expressed the individual's or the clan's identity.
Academic text (2000) -
And they made you this totem... so that when you returned, we would know it was you.
-
My primary interest is in totem poles.
-
I took a book on totems from my personal library and came home with three more.
Academic text (2005) -
The inhabitants here live with their totem; this is the nest of the Tribe of the Eagle.
Fiction book (1996) -
You'll find some people that will take the eagle as a totem, but we use it in the context of a grandfather.
-
Most clans were represented by animal totems, such as Bear, Eagle, and Tiger.
Academic text (1990) -
Yet, in their relationship to oral tradition and use in totemic law, totem poles reinforced notions of clan ownership.
Academic text (2009) -
I found myself in South London by some sort of urban farm with a petting zoo, and I hid among the goats, remember, the goat was my totem animal when we were pagans.
Idioms
Compounds
A tall carved wooden post made by northwest coast native people showing family or legend figures
How Representative
Surface Forms
Etymology
Totem comes from an Ojibwe word odoodem meaning 'his clan' or 'family sign'. So a totem is an animal, plant, or object that stands for a family or group.