Dictionary

totemism en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈtoʊtəmɪzəm/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From totem + -ism.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The belief that a person or group has a special mystical relationship to a totem.
   • This is the common story of superstition, from the totemism of savage tribes and the image-worship of semi-civilized peoples on to the heathenism of the Mass. 1883, R. Heber Newton, The Right and Wrong Uses of the Bible:
   • Although you see some representations of animals or gods in the form of animals, there's really no totemism or animism in Egyptian religion. 1995 July 21, Sarah Bryan Miller, “What's New in Ancient Egypt”, in Chicago Reader:
   • “The Happiness of Objects” doesn’t make it easy on the viewer. Mr. Mitchell’s book is, after all, an academic tome (though quite readable) that delves into complex discussions of everything from pictures, objects and materials to their relationship with totemism, fetishism and idolatry. 2007 May 18, Martha Schwendener, “Proof That Things Are People Too (Well, Almost)”, in New York Times:

Forms

Relateds

totemistic

Translations (37)

az totemizm (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · et totemism (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · cmn 圖騰論 /图腾论 (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · de Totemismus (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · hy տոտեմիզմ (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · bn টোটেমবাদ (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ast totemismu (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · mg tôtemisma (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ko 토템 숭배 (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ru тотеми́зм (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · fa توتمپرستی (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ky тотемизм (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · cmn 圖騰崇拜 /图腾崇拜 (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · sv totemism (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · pl totemizm (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · kk тотемизм (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · sk totemizmus (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · uz totemizm (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ka ტოტემიზმი (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · nl totemisme (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · cmn 圖騰信仰 /图腾信仰 (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · gl totemismo (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · uk тотемізм (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · sh totemizam (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · it totemismo (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · be татэмізм (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · mk тотемизам (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · fr totémisme (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ja トーテミズム (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · cs totemismus (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ca totemisme (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · id totemisme (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · eo totemismo (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · hu totemizmus (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ro totemism (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · ar طوطمية (belief in a special relationship to a totem) · fi totemismi (belief in a special relationship to a totem)