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
Recent Examples on the Web
Many cruisers start their visit to Klawock by taking in a collection of about two dozen colorful totem poles on a hillside overlooking the harbor.
—Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Visitors can see totem poles throughout Ketchikan, but there are three clusters.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026
Silver engraving, masks, totem poles, rattles, prints.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
In fact, Wattenberg at $12 million per season would still enter the 2026 season as the low man on the pay totem pole if Denver has the same quintet in place.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for totem pole
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Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Visitors can see totem poles throughout Ketchikan, but there are three clusters.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026
Silver engraving, masks, totem poles, rattles, prints.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
In fact, Wattenberg at $12 million per season would still enter the 2026 season as the low man on the pay totem pole if Denver has the same quintet in place.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 Nov. 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 14 Feb. 2026.
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