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Totem Has Roots in an Algonquian Language
Totem comes to us from Ojibwa, an Algonquian language spoken by an American Indian people from the regions around Lake Superior. The most basic form of the word in Ojibwa is believed to be ote, but 18th-century English speakers encountered it as ototeman (meaning "his totem"), which became our word totem. In its most specific sense, totem refers to an emblematic depiction of an animal or plant that gives a family or clan its name and that often serves as a reminder of its ancestry. The term is also used broadly for any person or thing having particular emblematic or symbolic importance. The related adjective totemic describes something that serves as a totem, that depicts totems ("totemic basketry," for example), or that has the nature of a totem.
Synonyms
Examples of totem in a Sentence
Mac Margolis, NPR, 12 May 2024
Little overlapping connections abound, and throwaway objects become significant totems.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 2 May 2024
And there are endless nods to ’60s pop culture totems (in the opening minutes alone, Woody Woodpecker, the Slinky and G.I.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
While Rainbow tries to heal their friend, Yakari gallops with the mustang Little Thunder to the far reaches of Sioux territory to seek help from the only being capable of awakening him: Buffalo-Seed’s totem, the fearsome giant bison Thathanka.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 Apr. 2024
The rooms are airy and uncluttered, adorned with textile hangings and other totems of travel.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2024
Although Leave the World Behind is based on a novel by Rumaan Alam and was directed by Sam Esmail, of TV’s Mr. Robot, Obama’s participation as executive producer combines totems from the publishing and television industries — a move toward cultural dominance.
—Armond White, National Review, 10 Apr. 2024
The debate over Nippon Steel’s plan to acquire U.S. Steel echoes the 1980s, when Japanese companies snapped up American totems such as Rockefeller Center, the Pebble Beach golf course and Universal Studios.
—David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2024
That includes totems, flags, banners, umbrellas, skates, scooters and bicycles.
—Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'totem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Totem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totem. Accessed 15 May. 2024.
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totem
noun
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