"totem" meaning in English

See totem in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈtoʊtəm/ [General-American], /ˈtəʊtəm/ [Received-Pronunciation] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-totem.wav Forms: totems [plural]
Rhymes: -əʊtəm Etymology: From Ojibwe (o)doodem(an). Etymology templates: {{bor|en|oj|doodem|(o)doodem(an)}} Ojibwe (o)doodem(an) Head templates: {{en-noun}} totem (plural totems)
  1. Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature. Categories (topical): Sleep Translations (natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe): totem (Afrikaans), طَوْطَم (ṭawṭam) (Arabic), տոտեմ (totem) (Armenian), 圖騰 (Chinese Cantonese), 图腾 (english: tou⁴ tang⁴) (Chinese Cantonese), 圖騰 (Chinese Mandarin), 图腾 (túténg) (Chinese Mandarin), totem [masculine] (Czech), totem (Danish), totem [masculine] (Dutch), totemo (Esperanto), tootem (Estonian), toteemi (Finnish), totem [masculine] (French), ტოტემი (ṭoṭemi) (Georgian), Totem [masculine] (German), tótem [neuter] (Icelandic), tótam [masculine] (Irish), totem [masculine] (Italian), トーテム (tōtemu) (Japanese), 토템 (totem) (Korean), totemas [masculine] (Lithuanian), ngartjie (Ngarrindjeri), baronga (Nyunga), doodem (Ojibwe), totem [masculine] (Polish), totem [masculine] (Portuguese), totem (Romanian), тоте́м (totém) [masculine] (Russian), totem (Slovene), seboko (Sotho), tótem [masculine] (Spanish), totem [neuter] (Swedish), totem (Tagalog), ongun (Turkish), totem (Turkish), tô-tem (Vietnamese), vật tổ (Vietnamese)
    Sense id: en-totem-en-noun-xWf-c109 Disambiguation of Sleep: 20 29 2 21 29 Categories (other): English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 15 27 1 25 33 Disambiguation of 'natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe': 76 17 1 4 3
  2. The clan whose kinship is defined in reference to such an object or creature. Categories (topical): Sleep
    Sense id: en-totem-en-noun-MMnSlR8g Disambiguation of Sleep: 20 29 2 21 29 Categories (other): English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 15 27 1 25 33
  3. (figuratively) A symbol or personification. Tags: figuratively
    Sense id: en-totem-en-noun-wAyZa3ES
  4. An arbitrarily chosen object serving as a reminder to check whether one is awake or not, to aid in having lucid dreams. Categories (topical): Sleep
    Sense id: en-totem-en-noun-PKqetAX9 Disambiguation of Sleep: 20 29 2 21 29 Categories (other): English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 15 27 1 25 33
  5. A tall object resembling a totem pole. Categories (topical): Sleep
    Sense id: en-totem-en-noun-deDgnn5o Disambiguation of Sleep: 20 29 2 21 29 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, Terms with Afrikaans translations, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Armenian translations, Terms with Cantonese translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Esperanto translations, Terms with Estonian translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Georgian translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Icelandic translations, Terms with Irish translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Korean translations, Terms with Lithuanian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Ngarrindjeri translations, Terms with Nyunga translations, Terms with Ojibwe translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Romanian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Slovene translations, Terms with Sotho translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Tagalog translations, Terms with Turkish translations, Terms with Vietnamese translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 10 24 3 26 37 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 15 27 1 25 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Afrikaans translations: 17 23 9 17 34 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 13 19 7 17 44 Disambiguation of Terms with Armenian translations: 19 22 9 17 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Cantonese translations: 13 20 9 20 39 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 20 22 9 18 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 14 21 4 14 47 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 11 19 3 20 47 Disambiguation of Terms with Esperanto translations: 11 18 8 18 46 Disambiguation of Terms with Estonian translations: 19 22 9 17 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 16 20 7 16 41 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 11 20 3 20 46 Disambiguation of Terms with Georgian translations: 19 21 9 17 34 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 10 19 3 19 49 Disambiguation of Terms with Icelandic translations: 18 22 8 18 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 17 21 7 18 36 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 11 22 3 21 43 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 11 22 3 21 43 Disambiguation of Terms with Korean translations: 17 22 8 18 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Lithuanian translations: 19 22 9 17 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 18 20 7 19 36 Disambiguation of Terms with Ngarrindjeri translations: 13 20 9 20 39 Disambiguation of Terms with Nyunga translations: 13 20 9 20 39 Disambiguation of Terms with Ojibwe translations: 12 20 9 20 40 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 19 22 7 19 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 19 22 9 17 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Romanian translations: 16 20 7 16 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 9 19 3 19 50 Disambiguation of Terms with Slovene translations: 19 22 9 17 33 Disambiguation of Terms with Sotho translations: 12 21 4 21 42 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 14 22 2 21 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 18 22 7 18 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Tagalog translations: 17 22 8 18 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Turkish translations: 18 22 7 18 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Vietnamese translations: 18 22 8 18 35
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated

Inflected forms

Download JSONL data for totem meaning in English (16.8kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemic"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemical"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemically"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemism"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemist"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemistic"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totemistically"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totem kin"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totem pole"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totem stone"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "totem tennis"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "oj",
        "3": "doodem",
        "4": "(o)doodem(an)"
      },
      "expansion": "Ojibwe (o)doodem(an)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ojibwe (o)doodem(an).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "totems",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "totem (plural totems)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "to‧tem"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "15 27 1 25 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 29 2 21 29",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sleep",
          "orig": "en:Sleep",
          "parents": [
            "Body",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature."
      ],
      "id": "en-totem-en-noun-xWf-c109",
      "links": [
        [
          "natural",
          "natural"
        ],
        [
          "object",
          "object"
        ],
        [
          "living",
          "living"
        ],
        [
          "creature",
          "creature"
        ],
        [
          "emblem",
          "emblem"
        ],
        [
          "tribe",
          "tribe"
        ],
        [
          "clan",
          "clan"
        ],
        [
          "family",
          "family"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "af",
          "lang": "Afrikaans",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "ṭawṭam",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "طَوْطَم"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "totem",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "տոտեմ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "圖騰"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "yue",
          "english": "tou⁴ tang⁴",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "图腾"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "圖騰"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "túténg",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "图腾"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totemo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "tootem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "toteemi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "ṭoṭemi",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "ტოტემი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "tótem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "tótam"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "tōtemu",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "トーテム"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "totem",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "토템"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "lt",
          "lang": "Lithuanian",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totemas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "nay",
          "lang": "Ngarrindjeri",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "ngartjie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "nys",
          "lang": "Nyunga",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "baronga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "oj",
          "lang": "Ojibwe",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "doodem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "totém",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "тоте́м"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovene",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "st",
          "lang": "Sotho",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "seboko"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "tótem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "tl",
          "lang": "Tagalog",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "ongun"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "totem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "tô-tem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "76 17 1 4 3",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
          "word": "vật tổ"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "15 27 1 25 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 29 2 21 29",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sleep",
          "orig": "en:Sleep",
          "parents": [
            "Body",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1921, Wilhelm Max Wundt, Edward Leroy Schaub, Elements of folk psychology: outlines of a psychological history",
          "text": "The totem members were forbidden to eat the flesh of the totem animal, or were allowed to do so only under specific conditions.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Michael Pomedli, Living with Animals: Ojibwe Spirit Powers, page 165",
          "text": "These meanings flow from bear-like characteristics imprinted on totem members. Members of the bear clan may have dispositional, cognitive, and physical capabilities similar to those of bear.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The clan whose kinship is defined in reference to such an object or creature."
      ],
      "id": "en-totem-en-noun-MMnSlR8g",
      "links": [
        [
          "kinship",
          "kinship"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2023 January 19, Damien Cave, quoting Richard Shaw, “How Covid’s Bitter Divisions Tarnished a Liberal Icon”, in The New York Times, →ISSN",
          "text": "“She became a totem,” he added. “She became the personification of a particular response to the pandemic, which people in the far-flung margins of the internet and the not so far-flung margins used against her.”",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A symbol or personification."
      ],
      "id": "en-totem-en-noun-wAyZa3ES",
      "links": [
        [
          "symbol",
          "symbol"
        ],
        [
          "personification",
          "personification"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) A symbol or personification."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "15 27 1 25 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
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          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 29 2 21 29",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sleep",
          "orig": "en:Sleep",
          "parents": [
            "Body",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2010, ren, “Inception and Lucid Dreaming”, in alt.religion.wicca (Usenet)",
          "text": "The best way to determine if you are dreaming or not is to have a totem in your lucid dreams that does not exist in reality. Inducing yourself is as easy as waking up during the night and practicing as you fall back asleep. Say, \"I will be aware I am dreaming while I am dreaming by seeing my totem.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An arbitrarily chosen object serving as a reminder to check whether one is awake or not, to aid in having lucid dreams."
      ],
      "id": "en-totem-en-noun-PKqetAX9",
      "links": [
        [
          "lucid dream",
          "lucid dream"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "10 24 3 26 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 27 1 25 33",
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          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 23 9 17 34",
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          "name": "Terms with Afrikaans translations",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 20 3 20 46",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 21 9 17 34",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Georgian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 19 3 19 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 22 8 18 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Icelandic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 21 7 18 36",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 22 3 21 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 22 3 21 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 22 8 18 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Korean translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 22 9 17 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Lithuanian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 20 7 19 36",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 20 9 20 39",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ngarrindjeri translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 20 9 20 39",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Nyunga translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 20 9 20 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ojibwe translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 22 7 19 32",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 22 9 17 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 20 7 16 41",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Romanian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 19 3 19 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 22 9 17 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Slovene translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 21 4 21 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Sotho translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 22 2 21 41",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 22 7 18 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 22 8 18 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Tagalog translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 22 7 18 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Turkish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 22 8 18 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Vietnamese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 29 2 21 29",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sleep",
          "orig": "en:Sleep",
          "parents": [
            "Body",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2014 February 4, Tom Hayllar, A Long Way Walkin’ in Australia: From the Tasman to the Timor Sea, Bloomington, Indiana: Balboa Press, page 207",
          "text": "Out the front of the Drive-in rose the town’s main tourist attraction, a totem of signs to bizarre places with impossible distances such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and so on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A tall object resembling a totem pole."
      ],
      "id": "en-totem-en-noun-deDgnn5o",
      "links": [
        [
          "totem pole",
          "totem pole"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈtoʊtəm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈtəʊtəm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊtəm"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-totem.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "totem"
  ],
  "word": "totem"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms borrowed from Ojibwe",
    "English terms derived from Ojibwe",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "Rhymes:English/əʊtəm",
    "Rhymes:English/əʊtəm/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Afrikaans translations",
    "Terms with Arabic translations",
    "Terms with Armenian translations",
    "Terms with Cantonese translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Esperanto translations",
    "Terms with Estonian translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Georgian translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Icelandic translations",
    "Terms with Irish translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Korean translations",
    "Terms with Lithuanian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Ngarrindjeri translations",
    "Terms with Nyunga translations",
    "Terms with Ojibwe translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Romanian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Slovene translations",
    "Terms with Sotho translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Tagalog translations",
    "Terms with Turkish translations",
    "Terms with Vietnamese translations",
    "en:Sleep"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "totemic"
    },
    {
      "word": "totemical"
    },
    {
      "word": "totemically"
    },
    {
      "word": "totemism"
    },
    {
      "word": "totemist"
    },
    {
      "word": "totemistic"
    },
    {
      "word": "totemistically"
    },
    {
      "word": "totem kin"
    },
    {
      "word": "totem pole"
    },
    {
      "word": "totem stone"
    },
    {
      "word": "totem tennis"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "oj",
        "3": "doodem",
        "4": "(o)doodem(an)"
      },
      "expansion": "Ojibwe (o)doodem(an)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Ojibwe (o)doodem(an).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "totems",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "totem (plural totems)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "to‧tem"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "natural",
          "natural"
        ],
        [
          "object",
          "object"
        ],
        [
          "living",
          "living"
        ],
        [
          "creature",
          "creature"
        ],
        [
          "emblem",
          "emblem"
        ],
        [
          "tribe",
          "tribe"
        ],
        [
          "clan",
          "clan"
        ],
        [
          "family",
          "family"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1921, Wilhelm Max Wundt, Edward Leroy Schaub, Elements of folk psychology: outlines of a psychological history",
          "text": "The totem members were forbidden to eat the flesh of the totem animal, or were allowed to do so only under specific conditions.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2014, Michael Pomedli, Living with Animals: Ojibwe Spirit Powers, page 165",
          "text": "These meanings flow from bear-like characteristics imprinted on totem members. Members of the bear clan may have dispositional, cognitive, and physical capabilities similar to those of bear.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The clan whose kinship is defined in reference to such an object or creature."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "kinship",
          "kinship"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2023 January 19, Damien Cave, quoting Richard Shaw, “How Covid’s Bitter Divisions Tarnished a Liberal Icon”, in The New York Times, →ISSN",
          "text": "“She became a totem,” he added. “She became the personification of a particular response to the pandemic, which people in the far-flung margins of the internet and the not so far-flung margins used against her.”",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A symbol or personification."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "symbol",
          "symbol"
        ],
        [
          "personification",
          "personification"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) A symbol or personification."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2010, ren, “Inception and Lucid Dreaming”, in alt.religion.wicca (Usenet)",
          "text": "The best way to determine if you are dreaming or not is to have a totem in your lucid dreams that does not exist in reality. Inducing yourself is as easy as waking up during the night and practicing as you fall back asleep. Say, \"I will be aware I am dreaming while I am dreaming by seeing my totem.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An arbitrarily chosen object serving as a reminder to check whether one is awake or not, to aid in having lucid dreams."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lucid dream",
          "lucid dream"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2014 February 4, Tom Hayllar, A Long Way Walkin’ in Australia: From the Tasman to the Timor Sea, Bloomington, Indiana: Balboa Press, page 207",
          "text": "Out the front of the Drive-in rose the town’s main tourist attraction, a totem of signs to bizarre places with impossible distances such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and so on.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A tall object resembling a totem pole."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "totem pole",
          "totem pole"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈtoʊtəm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈtəʊtəm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊtəm"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-totem.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/e6/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-totem.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "af",
      "lang": "Afrikaans",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "ṭawṭam",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "طَوْطَم"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "totem",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "տոտեմ"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "圖騰"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "english": "tou⁴ tang⁴",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "图腾"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "圖騰"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "túténg",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "图腾"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totemo"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "tootem"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "toteemi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "ṭoṭemi",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "ტოტემი"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "tótem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "tótam"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "tōtemu",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "トーテム"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "totem",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "토템"
    },
    {
      "code": "lt",
      "lang": "Lithuanian",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totemas"
    },
    {
      "code": "nay",
      "lang": "Ngarrindjeri",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "ngartjie"
    },
    {
      "code": "nys",
      "lang": "Nyunga",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "baronga"
    },
    {
      "code": "oj",
      "lang": "Ojibwe",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "doodem"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "totém",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "тоте́м"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovene",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "st",
      "lang": "Sotho",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "seboko"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "tótem"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "tl",
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "ongun"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "totem"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "tô-tem"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe",
      "word": "vật tổ"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "totem"
  ],
  "word": "totem"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-06-29 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-06-20 using wiktextract (d4b8e84 and b863ecc). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.