Phrase guide

low on the totem pole

adj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Accorded relatively little importance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, offensive, possibly

Examples

  • 1965, 7th of April, Washington Observer, King Defends Alabama Boycott, Answers Critics Gaston said, however, that the boycott would not substantially affect Negroes because they are "so low on the totem pole."

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Derived from totem poles, traditional sculptures of wood made by American Indians, usually with several figures carved one above the other. The vertical order was mistakenly perceived by the non-Indians to correspond with the figures' rank of importance.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: alhaalla toteemipaalussa — not important
  • Romanian: cel mai puțin important — not important
  • Russian: име́ющий ни́зкий ранг (iméjuščij nízkij rang) — not important
  • Russian: низкора́нговый (nizkorángovyj) — not important