Illustration of totem pole
- totem pole 1
totem pole
noun
1
: a pole or pillar carved and painted with a series of totemic symbols representing family lineage and often mythical or historical incidents and erected by Indian tribes of the northwest coast of North America
2
: an order of rank : hierarchy
Examples of totem pole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hike the half-mile Mount Roberts Alpine Loop Trail to see Indigenous totem poles, Sitka spruce trees, and sweeping vistas of the Gastineau Channel.
—
Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2025
Unfortunately for him, the Rockets are chock full of this exact player type, and all of them rank higher on the totem pole than Tate.
—Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Leave time to meet Indigenous artists in the Carving House and discover the meaning of totem poles at Totem Park.
—Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2025
Ketchikan, famous for being the Salmon Capital of the World, is teeming with small-town charm, Native American totem poles, and a lively lumberjack show the kids will be talking about all week.
—Disney Cruise Line, AFAR Media, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for totem pole
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Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2025
Unfortunately for him, the Rockets are chock full of this exact player type, and all of them rank higher on the totem pole than Tate.
—Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Leave time to meet Indigenous artists in the Carving House and discover the meaning of totem poles at Totem Park.
—Sharael Kolberg, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2025
Ketchikan, famous for being the Salmon Capital of the World, is teeming with small-town charm, Native American totem poles, and a lively lumberjack show the kids will be talking about all week.
—Disney Cruise Line, AFAR Media, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for totem pole
Cite this Entry
“Totem pole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totem%20pole. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
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