Meaning of "totem" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD TOTEM

From Ojibwa nintōtēm mark of my family.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF TOTEM

ˈtəʊtəm

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF TOTEM

Totem is a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES TOTEM MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Totem

A totem is a being, object, or symbol representing an animal or plant that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe, reminding them of their ancestry. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem. Normally this belief is accompanied by a totemic myth. Although the term is of Ojibwe origin in North America, totemistic beliefs are not limited to Native Americans and Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Similar totem-like beliefs have been historically present in societies throughout much of the world, including Africa, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and the Arctic polar region. In modern times, some single individuals, not otherwise involved in the practice of a tribal religion, have chosen to adopt a personal spirit animal helper, which has special meaning to them, and may refer to this as a totem. This non-traditional usage of the term is prevalent in the New Age movement and the mythopoetic men's movement.

Definition of totem in the English dictionary

The definition of totem in the dictionary is an object, species of animal or plant, or natural phenomenon symbolizing a clan, family, etc, often having ritual associations. Other definition of totem is a representation of such an object.

TRANSLATION OF TOTEM

Find out the translation of totem to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of totem from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «totem» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 图腾
• Translator English - Spanish: tótem
• English: totem
• Translator English - Hindi: कुलदेवता
• Translator English - Arabic: الطوطم
• Translator English - Russian: тотем
• Translator English - Portuguese: totem
• Translator English - Bengali: টোট্যাম
• Translator English - French: totem
• Translator English - Malay: Totem
• Translator English - German: Totem
• Translator English - Japanese: トーテム
• Translator English - Korean: 아메리카 원주민들에게 신성시 되는 자연물 특히 새나 짐승들
• Translator English - Javanese: Totem
• Translator English - Vietnamese: tổ vật
• Translator English - Tamil: குலமரபுச்
• Translator English - Marathi: टोटेम
• Translator English - Turkish: totem
• Translator English - Italian: totem
• Translator English - Polish: totem
• Translator English - Ukrainian: Тотем
• Translator English - Romanian: totem
• Translator English - Greek: τοτέμ
• Translator English - Afrikaans: totem
• Translator English - Swedish: totem
• Translator English - Norwegian: totem

10 QUOTES WITH «TOTEM»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word totem.

1

Andrew Bogut

You can't really get into regular football after you watch Australian rules football because it's just two different ends of the totem pole.

2

Louise Bourgeois

Look at it this way - a totem pole is just a decorated tree. My work is a confessional.

3

Emily Carr

You must be absolutely honest and true in the depicting of a totem for meaning is attached to every line. You must be most particular about detail and proportion.

4

Leslie Cockburn

When I was in London at NBC, I was the lowest man on the totem pole. I would go to diplomatic receptions to meet people.

5

Maurice Greene

In America, we have three major sports - baseball, football and basketball. They get the most coverage. Then there's things like golf which mop up most of what is left. But track and field? We are way at the bottom of the totem pole.

6

David Lindsay-Abaire

With studio work, I'm always the bottom man on the totem pole.

7

Rachel Nichols

I will openly admit that I've never really followed hockey. Given my New England upbringing, I have always adhered to the Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins mantra of professional sports fandom, but hockey was definitely the lowest sport on the totem pole - even when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.

8

Andy Roddick

In the States, tennis is sixth or seventh on the totem pole as far as sports go.

9

Gina Rodriguez

I've learned a lot about what kind of actor I want or do not want to be while being on set. I sit back and observe how other actors treat the totem pole of set politics.

10

Saul Steinberg

A beautiful woman can be painted as a totem only; not as a woman, but as a Madonna, a queen, a sphinx.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «TOTEM»

Discover the use of totem in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to totem and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Totem

Winner of the APR/Honickman First Book Prize, with an introduction by Brenda Hillman.

Gregory Pardlo, 2007

Wolf Totem

An epic Chinese tale, "Wolf Totem" depicts the dying culture of the Mongols--the descendants of the Mongol hordes who at one time terrorized the world--and the parallel extinction of the animal they believe to be sacred: the fierce and ...

Jiang Rong, 2009

Totem and Taboo: Some Points of Agreement Between the Mental ...

Widely acknowledged to be one of Freud's greatest works, when first published in 1913, this book caused outrage. It remains the fullest exploration of Freud's most famous themes. Family, society, religion - they're all put on the couch.

Sigmund Freud, 2001

Totem Poles: An Illustrated Guide

This guide is designed to help people see and appreciate totem poles and other massive wood carvings which are unique to the Indian peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Examples of these great works of sculpture, illustrated in this book, ...

Marjorie M. Halpin, 2011

Looking at Totem Poles

In Looking at Totem Poles, Hilary Stewart describes the various types of poles, their purpose, and how they were carved and raised. She also identifies and explains frequently depicted figures and objects.

Hilary Stewart, 1993

Totem Salmon: Life Lessons from Another Species

Part lyrical true-life adventure, part social and philosophical manifesto, TOTEM SALMON tells of a watershed community that worked for two decades to save one of the last purely native stocks of salmon in California.

Freeman House, 2000

The White Rabbit and Other Delights: East Totem West, a ...

This book tells the story of the rise and fall of the company and brings together for the first time the now-legendary works of the East Totem West artists.

Alan Bisbort, 1996

Blood Sacrifice and the Nation: Totem Rituals and the ...

Groundbreaking study of American patriotism and the symbolic power of the national flag.

Carolyn Marvin, David W. Ingle, 1999

Rachel's Totem

The fantastic tales that the townsfolk tell about the Ac-Taw, a clan of people who can shift into animals, are nothing but folklore. Or are they?

Marie Harte, 2008

Totem Magic: Dance of the Shapeshifter

Through the ancient mystical practice of totem magic, you can discover your animal within while exploring new, exciting paths in your spiritual development. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Yasmine Galenorn, 2011

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «TOTEM»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term totem is used in the context of the following news items.

Cirque du Soleil's Totem, and a human mirror ball, shine in Perth

Cirque du Soleil's Totem, and a human mirror ball, shine in Perth ... This show, Totem, is structured around a central theme exploring humanity, evolution and ... «Sydney Morning Herald, Jul 15»

Brisbane-born designer behind Cirque du Soleil's Totem style

Barrett's resume includes The Matrix trilogy, The Amazing Spider-Man and Jupiter Ascending, but Totem was her first contract with the French-Canadian circus ... «Brisbane Times, Apr 15»

Sinosphere | Q. and A.: Jiang Rong on 'Wolf Totem,' the Novel and …

When the novel “Wolf Totem” was published in China in 2004, it became an overnight sensation. Readers of all ages and occupations embraced the story of a ... «New York Times, Feb 15»

French 'Wolf Totem' director says China censors gave him 'carte …

After Wolf Totem, written by Lu Jiamin under the pseudonym Jiang Rong, was ... Wolf Totem is set to hit theaters at a time when many ethnic Mongolians say ... «Reuters, Feb 15»

Tata International Metals to acquire Totem Steel's steel trading biz

The majority of Totem's sales are to end user customers in the US and Canada who manufacture residential HVAC products, metal buildings, carports, garage ... «Daily News & Analysis, Jan 15»

Alleged dognapper says she was trying to save animal

Totem, a nine-year-old purebred poodle, was returned to his owner Jennifer Mann Tuesday night, four days after he was taken away while tethered in the family ... «CBC.ca, Jan 15»

Press Play's Project Totem renamed Kalimba, launches Dec. 17 on …

Kalimba is the new name for Project Totem, the latest platformer from Danish developer Press Play, and it will be released Dec. 17 on Xbox One, the studio ... «Polygon, Nov 14»

Cirque du Soleil's Totem review: Earthiness and human drama on …

Totem, for all its sparkle and showbiz fandangle, has earthiness and human drama on show. The muscular feats being presented are not as suffocated by the ... «Sydney Morning Herald, Oct 14»

1080p Oculus Rift Alternative VR Headset "Totem" Has Bold Plans …

Totem is described as a "premium" VR headset, and it will offer a 90 degrees field of view, a 1080p OLED screen, and the ability to connect to any HDMI source ... «GameSpot, Sep 14»

Famous Alaska totem pole damaged by carpenter ants

The Ketchikan Daily News (http://is.gd/1UDlWh) reports the Seward totem pole is a famous example of a Tlingit ridicule or shame pole. The top part of the pole ... «Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Aug 14»