totem pole
3
5.8
- noun
- /ˈtoʊtəm poʊl/
:
totem
- In 1985, Chief Willie presented the dance at the raising of a totem pole erected in the village as a memorial for the late Chief Fred Williams.
- Tlingit totem pole
There's different totem poles on all four directions.
- There's different totem poles on all four directions.
Examples
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The museum features an impressive totem pole carved with intricate symbols that tell the story of my ancestors.
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On either side of the bandstand stood a massive totem pole.
Fiction book (1993) -
The Tlingit are known worldwide as a totem pole tribe.
Academic text (2009) -
Long ago, the log had been stripped of its bark and deeply carved with designs like a totem pole.
Fiction book (2001) -
PHOTO (COLOR): Tribes of the Puget Sound are famous for their beautiful totem poles.
Fiction book (2000) -
During our trip to the Pacific Northwest, we saw several totem poles that were erected as a tribute to ancient cultures.
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The totem pole stands tall in the park, showcasing the artistry and history of Indigenous peoples.
How Tall
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a tall carved post bearing totemic figures' is directly and compositionally derived from 'totem' (a group's emblem or figure) plus 'pole' (a long stick/post), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE. Although some cultural knowledge about carved totems helps, the phrase is not idiomatic or metaphorical and follows a straightforward noun + noun composition.
Etymology
Totem pole comes from a simple image: a tall wooden pole carved with stacked animal or human figures called totems, each one standing for a family or an old 'story'. That's why a totem pole is used to show 'family history' and important 'stories'.