to·tem

(tō′təm)

a. An animal, plant, or natural object serving among certain tribal or traditional peoples as the emblem of a clan or family and sometimes revered as its founder, ancestor, or guardian.

b. A representation of such an object.

c. A social group having a common affiliation to such an object.

2. A venerated emblem or symbol: "grew up with the totems and taboos typical of an Irish Catholic kid in Boston" (Connie Paige).

[Ojibwa nindoodem, my totem.]

to·tem′ic (-tĕm′ĭk) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

totem

(ˈtəʊtəm)

1. (Anthropology & Ethnology) (in some societies, esp among North American Indians) an object, species of animal or plant, or natural phenomenon symbolizing a clan, family, etc, often having ritual associations

2. (Anthropology & Ethnology) a representation of such an object

[C18: from Ojibwa nintōtēm mark of my family]

totemic adj

toˈtemically adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

to•tem

(ˈtoʊ təm)

n.

1. a natural object or an animate being, as an animal or bird, assumed as the emblem of a clan, family, or group.

2. a representation of such an object or being serving as the distinctive mark of the clan or group.

3. anything serving as a distinctive, often venerated, emblem or symbol.

[1750–60, Amer.; < Ojibwa ninto·te·m my totem, oto·te·man his totem]

to•tem′ic (-ˈtɛm ɪk) adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	totem - a clan or tribe identified by their kinship to a common totemic object kin group, kindred, kinship group, clan, kin, tribe - group of people related by blood or marriage totemist - a person who belongs to a clan or tribe having a totem
	2.	totem - emblem consisting of an object such as an animal or plant; serves as the symbol of a family or clan (especially among American Indians) emblem - special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc. U.S.A., United States, United States of America, US, USA, America, the States, U.S. - North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

Translations

طوطم: حَيوان أو نَبات كَرَمْز مُقَدَّس

totem

Totem

totem

totem

tótem

totemastotemo stulpas

totēms

totem

图腾

totem

[ˈtəʊtəm]

A. N → tótem m

B. CPD totem pole N → tótem m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

totem

[ˈtəʊtəm] n

(= symbolic animal, plant) → totem m

(= important symbol) → icône ftotem pole n → mât m totémique

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

totem

n → Totem nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

totem

[ˈtəʊtəm] n → totem m inv

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

totem

(ˈtoutəm) noun

(an image of) an animal or plant used as the badge or sign of a tribe, among North American Indians etc.

totem pole

a large wooden pole on which totems are carved and painted.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Of totem, I know not the meaning; but if it appertaineth in any wise to the art of Indian music, it need not be inquired after at their hands.

"Had they held their corn feast--or can you say anything of the totems of the tribe?"

View in context

But, in the first place, New York was a metropolis, and perfectly aware that in metropolises it was "not the thing" to arrive early at the opera; and what was or was not "the thing" played a part as important in Newland Archer's New York as the inscrutable totem terrors that had ruled the destinies of his forefathers thousands of years ago.

View in context

In these days of fatted cattle and waving grain-fields this humble root, which was once the totem of an Indian tribe, is quite forgotten, or known only by its flowering vine; but let wild Nature reign here once more, and the tender and luxurious English grains will probably disappear before a myriad of foes, and without the care of man the crow may carry back even the last seed of corn to the great cornfield of the Indian's God in the southwest, whence he is said to have brought it; but the now almost exterminated ground-nut will perhaps revive and flourish in spite of frosts and wildness, prove itself indigenous, and resume its ancient importance and dignity as the diet of the hunter tribe.

View in context

The white satin was darkened everywhere with big brown stains, the gold threads on the crowned harp were frayed and discoloured, and the Red Bull, the totem of the Mavericks, was coffee-hued.

View in context

Kim, with slightly raised head, was still staring at his totem on the table, when the Chaplain stepped on his right shoulder-blade.

View in context

In the centre of the mantel was a stuffed bird-of-paradise, while about the room were scattered gorgeous shells from the southern seas, delicate sprays of coral sprouting from barnacled pi-pi shells and cased in glass, assegais from South Africa, stone axes from New Guinea, huge Alaskan tobacco-pouches beaded with heraldic totem designs, a boomerang from Australia, divers ships in glass bottles, a cannibal kai-kai bowl from the Marquesas, and fragile cabinets from China and the Indies and inlaid with mother-of-pearl and precious woods.

View in context

He had seen totems before, and knew them for what they were.

View in context

Quick-growing trees had shadowed the kingposts so that the idols and totems, seated in carved shark jaws, grinned greenly and monstrously at the futility of man through a rime of moss and mottled fungus.

View in context

A statement from Aberdeen City Council said: "Given that online mapping services and road signs already exist, it is proposed to add to the existing network of wayfinding totems in the city centre to plug the gaps in both the city centre and its gateways, and we want to know what you think.

Wayfinding signs could point public to poles of attraction around city

Caption: Recently made Indonesian fake model totem poles.

The Epidemic of Indonesian Jake Northwest Coast Style Woodcarvings

In 1971 the first totem poles were erected at Stonehaugh, the village built in the 1950s to house workers who were establishing Kielder Forest.

Upstanding members of community given new lease of life