totem pole

totem pole

n.

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.

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totem pole

n

(Social Science / 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

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

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

totem pole

n → Totempfahl m

totem pole n → totem m inv