totem pole

1. A post carved and painted with a series of family or clan crests or with figures representing mythic beings and erected usually before a dwelling, as among certain Native American peoples of the northwest coast of North America.

2. Slang A hierarchy: low on the totem pole.

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 pole

(Anthropology & Ethnology) a pole carved or painted with totemic figures set up by certain North American Indians, esp those of the NW Pacific coast, within a village as a tribal symbol or, sometimes, in memory of a dead person

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

to′tem pole`

a pole carved and painted with totemic figures, erected by Indians of the NW coast of North America.

[1875–80]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

totem pole - a tribal emblem consisting of a pillar carved and painted with totemic figures; erected by Indian tribes of the northwest Pacific coast

pillar, column - a vertical cylindrical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (such as a monument)

emblem - special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.

Translations

عَمود مَنْحوت مُزَيَّن بِرُسوم طوطميَّه

totem

totempæl

Totempfahl

toteemipaalu

mât totémiquetotem

totemoszlop

tótemsúla

totem

totempaal

totempæl

totem direği

图腾柱

totem pole

n → Totempfahl m

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

totem pole

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 periodicals archive

[A] Cedar model totem pole by Kwakwaka 'wakw carver Charlie James (1867-1937), Alert Bay, British Columbia, early 20th century.

The Epidemic of Indonesian Jake Northwest Coast Style Woodcarvings

Salford's 32ft totem pole, restored to its former glory, will feature in tonight's programme.

Antiques Roadshow treasure that comes with huge price tag

In one of the art methods courses I teach at West Virginia University, I worked with area art teachers to create a lesson centered around having middle schoolers create symbolic ceramic totem pole sculptures.

Symbolic Ceramic Totem Poles

There are a couple of new ornamental grasses that have made their way toward the top of my wish list -- Miscanthus sinensis Bandwidth and Panicum virgatum Prairie Winds Totem Pole.

New perennials to delight gardeners

Chainsaw artist Lorraine Botterill created a totem pole for the nature reserve after Warwickshire Wildlife Trust invited visitors to submit their own design ideas.

Totem art creates real buzz

Chainsaw artist Lorraine Botterill created a totem pole for the nature reserve afterWarwickshireWildlife Trust invited visitors to submit their own design ideas.

Iconic chainsaw art unveiled at Ryton Pools nature reserve; Artist based design on ideas from members of the public

On the return leg, children stopped at the totem pole to place their wish stones.

ELFY DAY OUT; FESTIVE FUN Pupils seek mythical beings in adventure

A jangseung is a traditional Korean totem pole usually made of wood.

Jangseung

This new book includes the stories: The First Totem Pole, The Transition of Totemism, The Alligator and the Hunter, The End of the First World, Mistakes of Old Man, The Race of the Antelope and Deer, The Badger and the Bear, The Ball Game between the Birds and the Animals, They That Chase After the Bear, Beaver and Muskrat, Honeyed Words Can't Sweeten Evil, Ghost Stallion, Hummingbird Brings Back Tobacco, Why Porcupine Has Quills (Anishnaabe), Coyote Kills the Prairie Dogs, Why the Salmon Come to the Squamish Waters, The Seagulls and the Whiskey Jacks, and many more.

Light of the Moon Publishing Releases New G.W. Mullins Book "Totem Animals Of The Native American Indians"

I unveiled a new Totem Pole at Camp Terrig, at Colomendy, to celebrate their 75th anniversary.

City owes debt to its heroes; MY CITY

Members of the Tsleil Waututh Nation accompanied Lummi Nation Elder and master carver Jewell James on his trip from Washington State to Beaver Lake Cree Nation, where a totem pole carved by James was erected as a symbol of solidarity in the community's struggle against oil sands development.

Totem represents fight against further oil sands development