Illustration of totem pole
- totem pole 1
totem pole
noun
plural totem poles
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 Indigenous peoples of the northwest coast of North America
2
: an order of rank : hierarchy
the people at the bottom/top of the totem pole
As low man on the totem pole [=the least important or least powerful person] I had to clean out the grease trap …—
David Brooks
David Brooks
Examples of totem pole in a Sentence
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Despite Caldwell’s departure, Canales said the longtime assistant coach was an important sounding board for him during his first two years at the top of coaching totem pole.
—Mike Kaye
may 19, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2026
Ketchikan is home to the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles and a rich Indigenous cultural legacy.
—Josh Rivera, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Burckhardt, a Minnesota native who was promoted to Denver’s assistant general manager last offseason, begun his NFL career working his way up the totem pole for 13 seasons in Minnesota’s scouting department.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
Meanwhile, museums across the United States and Canada were acquiring examples for their collections, and totem poles were becoming common attractions at world fairs.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for totem pole
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Mike Kaye
may 19, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2026
Ketchikan is home to the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles and a rich Indigenous cultural legacy.
—Josh Rivera, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Burckhardt, a Minnesota native who was promoted to Denver’s assistant general manager last offseason, begun his NFL career working his way up the totem pole for 13 seasons in Minnesota’s scouting department.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
Meanwhile, museums across the United States and Canada were acquiring examples for their collections, and totem poles were becoming common attractions at world fairs.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026
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 21 May. 2026.
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