spirit animal

noun

plural spirit animals

: a supernatural being of many distinct Indigenous cultures and traditions that assumes the form of an animal

Don't forget why you walk this path / embrace your spirit animal / your earthly guardian—

Irma Pineda

On the other side of the sculpture, [Abraham Anghik] Ruben explains, he has carved a shaman surrounded by spirit animals—bears, wolves and birds.—

DeNeen L. Brown

"So the goanna is my totem, my tribe totem, and it plays a big part in my culture as well because that's where we come from, and … that is our spirit animal."—

Ryli Johnson, quoted in Gamilaraay Voices

also : such a being as attested by New Age spirituality

Your personal spirit animal is a kind of guardian and protector in the invisible worlds just as in the physical world. A spirit animal is like an invisible friend who takes on the appearance of a mammal, a bird, a reptile, a fish, etc. —

Lucy Harmer

often offensive; see usage paragraph below : something or someone (such as an animal or celebrity) that one enjoys and identifies with

Usage of Spirit Animal

The use of spirit animal in sense 2 is often considered an offensive appropriation and trivialization of Indigenous American cultural traditions.

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of spirit animal was in 1873

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Spirit animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirit%20animal. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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