/ ˈtəʊtəm; NAmE ˈtoʊ-/ noun
an animal or other natural object that is chosen and respected as a special symbol of a community or family, especially among Native Americans; an image of this animal, etc.
► to·tem·ic / təʊˈtemɪk; NAmE toʊ-/ adjective :
totemic animals
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 18th cent.: from Ojibwa (an Algonquian language) nindoodem my totem.