Glossary Tarot

Trump

Trump is a term linked to the function of certain cards in tarot games. In reading terminology, it relates to the series now called major arcana, although the history of The Fool and its function require distinguishing it from numbered trumps.

How it is structured

The standard structure of the tarot gathers 21 numbered trumps and The Fool, along with the 56 suit cards. The designation 'majors' today groups these 22 figures in many reading practices. A function in the game does not imply spiritual superiority of a card.

Useful distinctions

In a symbolic consultation, trump does not mean that the card announces victory nor that it cancels out a minor arcana. The images converse according to the question and the method. It is advisable to avoid transferring a game hierarchy into a promise about the life of the person consulting.

A practical example

If The Chariot appears alongside two minors, it does not win the reading because it is a trump. It can introduce direction, while the other cards specify relationships or tasks. The example helps distinguish the deck's classification from the meaning taken by the set.

Bring it into your reading

Are you describing the card's function in a game or its role in this reading?

From card to reading

Sources for further reading