A totem pole is a long wooden pole with symbols and pictures carved and painted on it. Totem poles are made by some Native American peoples andplaced outside their homes.
totem pole in British English
noun
a pole carved or painted with totemic figures set up by certain Native Americans, esp those of the NW Pacific coast, within a village as a tribal symbol or, sometimes, in memory of a dead person
totem pole in American English
noun
1.
a pole or post carved and painted with totemic figures, erected by Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, esp. in front of their houses
2.
a hierarchical system
the bureaucratic totem pole
Word origin
[1875–80]
Examples of 'totem pole' in a sentence
totem pole
Sitting at the bottom of the theatrical totem pole, backing dancers were anonymous and underpaid.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Walk or cycle on the sea wall, which is about six miles long, cut across the park to see the totem poles or take a woodland stroll.