totem
totem
UK[ˈtəʊtəm]US[ˈtoʊtəm]
n
An object, animal, or plant that serves as a symbol for a family, clan, or group, often believed to have spiritual significance.
n
A representation of such a symbol, such as a carved pole.
Etymology
The word 'totem' entered the English language in the late 18th century, borrowed directly from the Ojibwe term 'odoodem'. It was introduced by European explorers and anthropologists to describe the spiritual and social emblem system they observed among Indigenous peoples of North America. The concept traveled from a specific cultural context into broader anthropological and then popular usage, where it now signifies any emblematic symbol representing a group or a revered object. This journey transformed a term for a specific clan identity into a more general symbol of collective representation.
Analysis
The word 'totem' is a simplex loanword. It originates from the Ojibwe (an Algonquian language) word 'odoodem', meaning "his kinship group" or "his family mark."
Examples
The bear was considered the sacred totem of their clan.
They erected a beautifully carved totem pole at the entrance to the village.
In modern branding, a company logo can function as a kind of corporate totem.