totem pole

noun

1

: a pole or pillar carved and painted with a series of totemic symbols representing family lineage and often mythical or historical incidents and erected by Indian tribes of the northwest coast of North America

2

: an order of rank : hierarchy

Illustration of totem pole

• totem pole 1

Examples of totem pole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And over the past nine months, a team of judges has been measuring it, pinpointing the exact location of the wave’s base, then stacking images of Slebir’s crouched pose on top of each other like a totem pole up the face of the wave. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025

For me, ketchup is pretty low on the totem pole, while ranch is and always has been a favorite. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025

By the way, Texas was No. 9 and Florida was No. 6 on this political totem pole. —Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025

Those who are at the lower end of the legal totem pole are at the most risk, meaning legal secretaries, paralegals and new attorneys. —Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for totem pole

• amphibole
• asystole
• buttonhole
• casserole
• centriole
• decontrol
• glycerol
• metropole
• monopole
• multipole
• omeprazole
• oriole

Kids Definition

totem pole

noun

: a pole carved and painted with symbols of totems and set up by Indigenous people of the northwest coast of North America