Where does “totemic” come from?
Totemic derives from totem plus the English suffix -ic, which comes from French -ique, from Latin -icus, from Proto-Indo-European -kos.
totemic (English): Serving as, or relating to, a totem
Definitions
- Serving as, or relating to, a totem
Ancestry of “totemic”, step by step
totemic traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via French totémique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | totémique | totemic |
| 2 | French | -ique | Used to form adjectives from nouns: -ic, -ical,... |
| 3 | Middle French | -ique | ic |
| 4 | Old French | -ique | -ic |
| 5 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *-ikos | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or pertaining to' |
via English totem
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | totem | Any natural object or living creature that serves... |
via Catalan tòtem
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalan | tòtem | totem |