totem
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2 ENTRIES FOUND:

to·tem

noun \ˈtō-təm\

Definition of TOTEM

1
a : an object (as an animal or plant) serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry; also : a usually carved or painted representation of such an object
b : a family or clan identified by a common totemic object
2
: one that serves as an emblem or revered symbol

Examples of TOTEM

  1. Private jets are a totem of success among extremely wealthy people.
  2. <the bald eagle, that universally recognized totem of our country>

Origin of TOTEM

Ojibwa oto·te·man his totem
First Known Use: circa 1776

Other Heraldry Terms

blazon, cachet, couchant, dormant, escutcheon, potent, standard

Rhymes with TOTEM

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