Totemic Meaning
/təʊˈtɛmɪk/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjServing as, or relating to, a totem.
Sentence Examples
Many Brexit supporters saw regaining control of the country’s sovereign waters as totemic.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ animal of the tribe was the eagle, symbolizing strength and freedom.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The carved wooden figure had a deep ____ significance for the tribe and was used in several important rituals today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Ojibwe (o)doodem(an)bor. English totem Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English totemic From totem + -ic.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The Lithuanian director escaped the Nazis and moved to New York, where he became a totemic figure for artists including Andy Warhol and John Lennon[.]"
— 2019 January 23, Alex Needham, “Jonas Mekas, titan of underground filmmaking, dies aged 96”, in The Guardian:
"Hunt also refused to rule out cuts to totemic Conservative pledges, including defence spending and the pensions triple lock."
— 2022 October 17, Jessica Elgot, Larry Elliott, Aubrey Allegretti, “Jeremy Hunt shreds Truss’s economic plans in astounding U-turn on tax”, in The Guardian:
"Gone is the idea of a totemic strand of DNA that extends six feet when uncoiled and stretched out in a straight line. Now, the rebooted reference resembles a corn maze, with alternative paths and side trails that allow scientists to explore a broader range of the genetic diversity found in people the world over."
— 2023 May 10, Elie Dolgin, “Scientists Unveil a More Diverse Human Genome”, in The New York Times:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ animal of the tribe was the eagle, symbolizing strength and freedom.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The carved wooden figure had a deep ____ significance for the tribe and was used in several important rituals today.