Word
tarot
US/ˌtæˈɹoʊ/
UK/tˈæɹɒt/
Definition
n. a set of 78 special cards with pictures on them. People use these cards to try and understand the future or to learn more about themselves.
n. a set of cards, typically seventy-eight in number, featuring symbolic imagery used for divination or psychological reflection. Often used with the definite article when referring to the system as a whole.
Examples
“She asked the reader to explain the tarot cards.”
“Many people use tarot as a tool for meditation rather than as a way to predict the future.”
“The imagery found in the tarot draws heavily on medieval and Renaissance archetypes, reflecting a complex history of both gaming and occult practice across Europe.”
Examples
simple
“She asked the reader to explain the tarot cards.”
contextual
“Many people use tarot as a tool for meditation rather than as a way to predict the future.”
complex
“The imagery found in the tarot draws heavily on medieval and Renaissance archetypes, reflecting a complex history of both gaming and occult practice across Europe.”
Usage
Often used as a modifier before another noun ('tarot cards', 'tarot reader').
Real-World Examples
“It was probably intended as a jewellery or keepsake box, but it was the perfect size for a tarot deck.” Etymology
Borrowed from French tarot, from Italian tarocco. Compare tarok, German Tarock.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/tarot