Definition of "totemic"

The Lithuanian director escaped the Nazis and moved to New York, where he became a totemic figure for artists including Andy Warhol and John Lennon[.]

2019 January 23, Alex Needham, “Jonas Mekas, titan of underground filmmaking, dies aged 96”, in The Guardian‎

Hunt also refused to rule out cuts to totemic Conservative pledges, including defence spending and the pensions triple lock.

2022 October 17, Jessica Elgot, Larry Elliott, Aubrey Allegretti, “Jeremy Hunt shreds Truss’s economic plans in astounding U-turn on tax”, in The Guardian‎

Gone is the idea of a totemic strand of DNA that extends six feet when uncoiled and stretched out in a straight line. Now, the rebooted reference resembles a corn maze, with alternative paths and side trails that allow scientists to explore a broader range of the genetic diversity found in people the world over.

2023 May 10, Elie Dolgin, “Scientists Unveil a More Diverse Human Genome”, in The New York Times‎