Where does “Totempfahl” come from?

Totempfahl (German) comes from German Pfahl, from Old High German pfāl, from Latin pālus, from Proto-Italic pākslos, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ-slos, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ- — to attach.

Totempfahl (German): totem pole

Definitions

  1. totem pole

Ancestry of “Totempfahl”, step by step

Totempfahl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Pfahl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanPfahlstake, picket, pale; pale
2Old High Germanpfālstake
3Latinpālusswamp, marsh, morass, bog, fen, pool
4Proto-Italicpākslos—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂ǵ-slos—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂ǵ-to attach

via German totem

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germantotemtotem
2EnglishtotemAny natural object or living creature that serves...
3Ojibwedoodemtotem; clan
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ- →
Totempfahl — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer