totem pole

noun

plural totem poles

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 Indigenous peoples of the northwest coast of North America

2

: an order of rank : hierarchy

the people at the bottom/top of the totem pole

As low man on the totem pole [=the least important or least powerful person] I had to clean out the grease trap …

—David Brooks

Illustration of totem pole

• totem pole 1

Examples of totem pole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Young workers just starting their careers are staring up a long climb to the top of the corporate totem pole. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026

The town is also home to one of the world’s largest collections of standing totem poles, reflecting the rich traditions of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples. — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2026

But the artist has put considerable effort arranging these CDs into geometrically dizzying totem poles. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Blessedly, boatmance stuff is at the bottom of the totem pole of relevant storylines, at least for now, with Luke poised to cause some trouble. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 June 2026

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