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Totem Has Roots in an Algonquian Language
Totem comes to us from Ojibwa, an Algonquian language spoken by an American Indian people from the regions around Lake Superior. The most basic form of the word in Ojibwa is believed to be ote, but 18th-century English speakers encountered it as ototeman (meaning "his totem"), which became our word totem. In its most specific sense, totem refers to an emblematic depiction of an animal or plant that gives a family or clan its name and that often serves as a reminder of its ancestry. The term is also used broadly for any person or thing having particular emblematic or symbolic importance. The related adjective totemic describes something that serves as a totem, that depicts totems ("totemic basketry," for example), or that has the nature of a totem.
Synonyms
Examples of totem in a Sentence
Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2024
And Eric’s insecurities all come flooding back and Kenny is the totem of that.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2024
But China takes this to a whole new level, where golds are not only seen as a totem of nationalistic pride, but silvers are often lambasted on Chinese social media.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2024
Other totems of reverence, including books by Baldwin, Lorde, Morrison, and more, are placed throughout the multi-room show.
—Wren Sanders, Them, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for totem 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'totem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Totem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totem. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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totem
noun
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