Word of the Day: Totem

by Unknown on April 11, 2024

Thursday, April 11, 2024

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noun

1. A natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and that is adopted by it as an emblem.

2. A person or thing regarded as being symbolic or representative of a particular quality or concept.

"The totem of the eagle represented loyalty and honesty."

"Harriet Tubman is a powerful totem of the Underground Railroad."

"Wolves, eagles, and bears are often used as totems because of their fierce reputations."

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Ojibwa, late 18th century

The Ojibwa North American Indigenous people use the word "doodem" for a natural object or animal that they treasure for its spiritual significance; the word was adopted into English as "totem." Sometimes the word refers to a bond with a particular animal or natural object, but "totem" has evolved to refer to an emblem or any kind of personal symbolism. ...