tarot

American  

[tar-oh, ta-roh] / ˈtær oʊ, tæˈroʊ /

noun

tarots plural

1. any of a set of 22 playing cards bearing allegorical representations, used for fortunetelling and as trump cards in tarok.

---

tarot British  

/ ˈtærəʊ /

noun

1. one of a special pack of cards, now used mainly for fortune-telling, consisting of 78 cards (4 suits of 14 cards each (the minor arcana), and 22 other cards (the major arcana))

2. a card in a tarot pack with distinctive symbolic design, such as the Wheel of Fortune

---

adjective

1. relating to tarot cards

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tarots
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tarot

1590–1600; back formation from taros (plural) < Middle French < Italian tarocchi, plural of tarocco

Explanation

Tarot cards are used for fortune telling and playing card games. Many people believe that a tarot reading will give them special insight into the future — but other people believe that fortune telling is bunk. A deck of tarot cards has four suits, usually swords, cups, coins, and wands, plus 21 trump cards. These cards include The Fool, The Lovers, Death, and Justice. During a tarot reading, cards are dealt from a shuffled deck and placed in a certain pattern. The placement and order of each card gives it a specific significance and meaning. Beyond its Italian source, the origin of the word tarot remains a mystery.

Example Sentences

Paintings by Leonora Carrington show how traditional tarot imagery worked its way into her own brand of Surrealism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see that, for the many centuries tarot has existed, the basic composition of decks has remained the same.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

There’s a sense of quiet mystery in tarot.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

During the pre-show, guests can explore tarot books and uncover slips of paper hidden in them that prompt us to answer questions or complete poems — the latter will figure into the performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Taryn talked a blue streak and brought out her tarot deck, as usual.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake