totem
to·tem/ˈtoʊtəm/noun
totem is spelled T-O-T-E-M: 5 letters and 2 syllables (to·tem). It appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 25,751st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, totem means “Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of totem is totems.
How many letters and syllables are in totem?
| Letters | 5: T-O-T-E-M |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: to·tem |
| In writing | 1.2 times per million words; the 25,751st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is totem?
Totem appears 1.2 times per million words in written English, the 25,751st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce totem?
- US /ˈtoʊtəm/
- UK /ˈtəʊtəm/
Totem has 2 syllables, split to·tem in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-totem.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with totem?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as totem from its last stressed vowel (/oʊtəm/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: motte, motet.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of totem
- totems plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does totem mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature.
- 2
The clan whose kinship is defined in reference to such an object or creature.
- 3
A symbol or personification.
- 4
An arbitrarily chosen object serving as a reminder to check whether one is awake or not, to aid in having lucid dreams.
- 5
A tall object resembling a totem pole.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Totem in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does totem come from?
Borrowed from Ojibwe (o)doodem(an).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).