What does "totem" mean?
Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature.
Totem
/ˈtoʊtəm/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature.
- Grammar: totem is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: allegory, ancestral spirits, angel, animal kingdom.
- Usage evidence: Totem poles consist of a group of figures that represent animals, birds, fish, mythological beings and supernatural beasts.
How to use "totem"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "totem" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "totem" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "totem" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "totem" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "totem" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "allegory" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "totem", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature.
- 2 emblem consisting of an object such as an animal or plant; serves as the symbol of a family or clan (especially among American Indians) wordnet
- 3 The clan whose kinship is defined in reference to such an object or creature.
"The totem members were forbidden to eat the flesh of the totem animal, or were allowed to do so only under specific conditions."
- 4 a clan or tribe identified by their kinship to a common totemic object wordnet
- 5 A symbol or personification. figuratively
"“She became a totem,” he added. “She became the personification of a particular response to the pandemic, which people in the far-flung margins of the internet and the not so far-flung margins used against her.”"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 An arbitrarily chosen object serving as a reminder to check whether one is awake or not, to aid in having lucid dreams.
"The best way to determine if you are dreaming or not is to have a totem in your lucid dreams that does not exist in reality. Inducing yourself is as easy as waking up during the night and practicing as you fall back asleep. Say, "I will be aware I am dreaming while I am dreaming by seeing my totem.""
- 7 A tall object resembling a totem pole.
"Out the front of the Drive-in rose the town’s main tourist attraction, a totem of signs to bizarre places with impossible distances such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and so on."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Totem poles consist of a group of figures that represent animals, birds, fish, mythological beings and supernatural beasts."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "totem"?
Common synonyms include: allegory, ancestral spirits, angel, animal kingdom, ashram, attendant godling.
How do you use "totem" in a sentence?
Totem poles consist of a group of figures that represent animals, birds, fish, mythological beings and supernatural beasts.
How do you pronounce "totem"?
Pronounced /ˈtoʊtəm/.
Etymology
From Ojibwe (o)doodem(an).