totemism

noun

to·​tem·​ism ˈtō-tə-ˌmi-zəm 

1

: belief in kinship with or a mystical relationship between a group or an individual and a totem

2

: a system of social organization based on totemic affiliations

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Call it shamanism, call it totemism, call it idolatry. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022

Social media has precipitated new types of totemism — the work of what being a fan means has been questioned, particularly after a death. —Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2020

There is no reason to believe that months later politicians have become more interested in scientific evidence, as opposed to totemism. —Matthew Walther, TheWeek, 14 Nov. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1