What does totem mean?
A totem is an object, animal, plant, or symbol associated with a particular family, clan, community, or other group, especially in the traditions of Indigenous peoples of North America. The best-known example is the carved pole found in the traditions of the Pacific Northwest, where figures and images can commemorate ancestors, family histories, and important stories. In modern figurative English, “totem” may describe an emblem or distinctive symbol representing an institution or organization. The word can carry strong cultural and historical associations, so using it for an ordinary logo or mascot may trivialize those traditions or imply a connection that does not exist. It is also sometimes used in anthropological writing as part of the more specialized term “totemism,” which refers to beliefs and social practices concerning group symbols and their relationship to social identities.
nounAn object, animal, plant, or symbol regarded as representing a family, clan, community, or other group, especially in the traditions of Indigenous peoples of North America. In contemporary figurative use, it can refer to an emblem or characteristic feature of a group or organization.
- An object, animal, plant, or symbol regarded as representing a family, clan, community, or other group, especially in the traditions of Indigenous peoples of North America.
- A carved pole bearing figures or symbols associated with a family, clan, or community, especially among Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest.
- In figurative use, an emblem, symbol, or distinctive feature representing a group, institution, or organization.
"The museum guide explained how each figure carved into the pole represented an ancestral story rather than merely serving as decoration."
"The artist used a heron as a visual totem for the community project."
"The sculpture at the entrance functions as a totem for the organization, reflecting its shared values."
The plural is used for multiple emblems, symbols, or carved poles, as well as for objects considered as group representations.
"The collection includes totems from several communities, each with its own distinct cultural history."
The word “totem” entered English from an Indigenous North American language and became closely associated with carved poles that preserve ancestral stories and family histories.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of totem
The English word was borrowed in the early 18th century from an Indigenous North American language, usually identified as Ojibwe. The borrowed term referred to a carved pole associated with ancestral images and group histories, and English later generalized the term to other group symbols. Related forms such as “totemic” and “totemism” developed within English from this borrowing.
Related word forms
How totem is actually used
Outside an explicitly cultural or anthropological context, the word can sound dated or exoticizing. It should not be used as a generic substitute for “symbol” or “mascot” when that would misleadingly evoke Indigenous religious, kinship, or ancestral traditions. Academic discussions may prefer the more precise term “totemism” when discussing the broader cultural system.