Tarot Glossary: Tarot Terms Explained

New to tarot and tripping over the words? Start here. Every term below is explained in plain English, with links to go deeper. Still have questions? Visit the Tarot FAQ, or find the right layout with our spread guide.

The basics

Tarot
A deck of 78 illustrated cards used for reflection, storytelling and guidance. Think of it as a mirror for your thoughts, not a crystal ball.
Reading
A session where cards are drawn and interpreted around a question or theme.
Reader
The person interpreting the cards. In an online reading, that is your reader, Marie Mystic.
Querent
The person the reading is for. If you asked the question, that is you.
Spread
A layout that tells you how many cards to draw and what each position means. See the spread guide.
Position
A spot in a spread with its own meaning, such as Past, Present or Advice. The same card reads differently in different positions.
Card of the day
One card drawn each day as a theme or gentle nudge. Try our free Card of the Day.
Intuition
Your gut sense about what a card means for you. Book meanings are a starting point; your own response matters too.

The deck

Major Arcana
The 22 story cards, from The Fool (0) to The World (XXI). They point to big life themes, turning points and lessons.
Minor Arcana
The 56 everyday cards in four suits. They describe daily events, moods and choices.
Suit
One of four groups in the Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. Each has 14 cards.
Wands
The suit of fire: energy, ambition, creativity and action.
Cups
The suit of water: feelings, relationships, intuition and healing.
Swords
The suit of air: thoughts, truth, decisions and conflict.
Pentacles
The suit of earth: money, work, health, home and routine. Sometimes called Coins.
Court cards
The Page, Knight, Queen and King of each suit. They often describe people, personalities or the way you are showing up.
Pip cards
The numbered cards, Ace through Ten, in each suit. They show situations and stages of a story.
Ace
The first card of a suit, a fresh start or a seed of that suit’s energy.
Element
Each suit links to an element: fire, water, air or earth. It helps you remember the suit’s flavor.
Numerology
The meaning attached to a card’s number. For example, threes often mean growth or collaboration, and fours mean stability.

Reading the cards

Upright
A card facing you the right way up. Its traditional meaning shows most directly.
Reversed
A card that lands upside down. Often it softens, blocks, delays or turns the meaning inward. Many readers skip reversals, and that is fine.
Keywords
A few words that sum up a card, handy for quick reference. Browse them in the Tarot Card Library.
Significator
A card chosen to stand for the person asking. Many modern readers skip it.
Clarifier
An extra card pulled to add detail to a card that feels unclear.
Combination
Two or more cards read together to tell a bigger story than each would alone.
Yes/No reading
A quick single-card answer. It works best for simple questions. Try Yes/No Tarot.
Past, Present, Future
The classic three-card layout. Try it free with Draw 3 Tarot Cards.
Celtic Cross
A ten-card layout for deep, many-sided questions. See the Celtic Cross spread.

Practice and care

Shuffle
Mixing the deck while you focus on your question. There is no wrong way.
Cut the deck
Splitting the deck into piles before drawing, a small ritual some readers use to mark the start of a reading.
Cleansing
A personal ritual to reset a deck, like knocking on it, using sound or smoke, or simply taking a breath. Optional.
Journaling
Writing down your cards and thoughts to spot patterns over time. A great habit alongside a daily card.
Free will
Tarot shows patterns and possibilities, not fixed fate. What you do next is always yours to choose.

Tarot is offered for reflection and entertainment. It is not a substitute for medical, legal, financial or mental health advice.