Tarot

Suit

Definition

One of the four groups of the tarot's Minor Arcana — Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles — each associated with a classical element and an area of life. Each suit runs from Ace to Ten plus four court cards.

A suit is one of the four groups that make up the Minor Arcana. Just like the suits in a deck of playing cards, each has its own character — and in tarot, each maps to one of the four classical elements and an area of life:

  • Wands — fire: energy, creativity, and drive.
  • Cups — water: emotions and relationships.
  • Swords — air: thought, communication, and conflict.
  • Pentacles — earth: money, work, and the material world.

Each suit contains 14 cards: the numbered Ace through Ten, plus four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King). When a reading is dominated by one suit, it points to that area of life being in focus.