totem

noun/ˈtoʊtəm/

Frequency rank: #11,955 most common English word

Meaning

an object, animal, or symbol adopted as an emblem of a clan or family, often with spiritual significance.

Illustration for the English word “totem”

Example sentence

The carved wooden totem at the entrance of the village represented the community's ancestral spirits.

Synonyms & related words

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