tarot

American  

[tar-oh, ta-roh] / ˈtær oʊ, tæˈroʊ /

noun

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

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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

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adjective

1. relating to tarot cards

Etymology

Origin of tarot

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

Example Sentences

I’d like to introduce your husband to the 11th Major Arcana tarot card.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

On a recent afternoon the four, plus Darragh Hettrick, Nia’s partner, were gathered in a living room that felt like a mix of an antique store, a tarot tent and an apothecary haven.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

This earnings season, companies’ financial results aren’t just numbers — they are tea leaves, tarot cards and macro signals all rolled into one.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 22, 2025

Surfaces are covered in books, tarot cards, clay and other art supplies to make use of.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2025

Ivy was pretty sure tarot didn’t work like that.

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