Question

Low Man on the Totem Pole the lowest-ranking, least important person in a group or organization

Accepted Answer

I may be low man on the totem pole, but someday I plan to be Chief Executive Officer. Some Native American groups carve symbols, one on top of the other, into tall poles of wood. The symbols, called totems, are often human faces or figures, and the pole is called a totem pole. Although "lowest" often means "least" in phrases like "lowest pay" and "lowest score," the lowest face on a totem pole is not the least important. The person who created this idiom must have thought so by mistake. But few people realize the error when they use this popular saying.

Idiom	Low Man on the Totem Pole
Example	I may be low man on the totem pole, but someday I plan to be Chief Executive Officer.
Meaning	the lowest-ranking, least important person in a group or organization
Origin	Some Native American groups carve symbols, one on top of the other, into tall poles of wood. The symbols, called totems, are often human faces or figures, and the pole is called a totem pole. Although "lowest" often means "least" in phrases like "lowest pay" and "lowest score," the lowest face on a totem pole is not the least important. The person who created this idiom must have thought so by mistake. But few people realize the error when they use this popular saying.

Totem Pole Low Man I Person Symbols Called