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Meaning of totem pole | Babel Free

Noun CEFR B2

Definitions

  1. A Native American sculpture found in the Pacific Northwest, made by carving trees, and usually displaying symbolic figures that represent clan lineage, cultural beliefs, or historical events.
  2. A hierarchy or ranking of importance.
    figuratively

Equivalents

العربية عَمُود رَمْز
Bosanski totem
Deutsch Totempfahl
Esperanto totema paliso
Español poste totémico totem
Suomi toteemipaalu toteemipatsas
Français mât totémique
Hrvatski totem
Magyar totemoszlop
Kurdî totem
Nederlands totempaal
Português totem
Română stâlp totemic
Русский тоте́мный столб
Српски totem

Examples

“Many visitors to France will go back to the States after a three months' fling⟳ of night spots and sight-seeing without remarking that can-can girls and champagne play⟳ about the same part in French life today as the tom-tom and totem pole in American life.”
“The teacher's pet was fairly high on the class totem pole.”

CEFR level

B2
Upper Intermediate
This word is part of the CEFR B2 vocabulary — upper intermediate level.
See all B2 English words →

See also

totem stone totem tennis Totemic totemics totemism totemist

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