Where does “totempåle” come from?
totempåle (Swedish) comes from Swedish påle, from Middle Dutch pāle, from Latin pālus, from Proto-Italic pākslos, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ-slos, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ- — to attach.
totempåle (Swedish): a totem pole
Definitions
- a totem pole
Ancestry of “totempåle”, step by step
totempåle traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish påle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | påle | pole |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | pāle | — |
| 3 | Latin | pālus | swamp, marsh, morass, bog, fen, pool |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | pākslos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂ǵ-slos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂ǵ- | to attach |
via Swedish totem
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | totem | a totem ((natural) object or creature or the like that serves as an emblem) |