Tarot & Technology Glossary

A recurring symbolic figure, role, or pattern that represents a broadly recognizable human experience. Tarot cards may be interpreted through archetypes such as the seeker, teacher, ruler, creator, or wanderer. An archetypal interpretation is symbolic and is not a psychological diagnosis.

The relationships formed when two or more tarot cards appear together. A reading may consider repeated themes, contrasts, reinforcing meanings, shared symbols, and the positions occupied by the cards rather than interpreting every card in isolation.

The core symbolic ideas associated with a tarot card. They may describe themes, emotions, actions, challenges, opportunities, or life experiences traditionally connected with the card. A card can have several related meanings rather than one fixed definition.

The designated roles assigned to places within a tarot spread, such as past, present, obstacle, advice, or possible outcome. A card’s position helps determine which part of the question its meaning is applied to.

The act of choosing one or more cards for a reading. In Tarotoo’s interactive readings, users select cards from a digitally randomized deck; the AI does not choose or influence them. The selected cards determine which dataset records are used in the reading.

A traditional ten-card tarot spread used to explore a situation from several perspectives. Its positions commonly address the present situation, influences, foundations, past and future developments, personal perspective, environment, hopes or concerns, and a possible outcome. Position names can vary between readers.

The Page, Knight, Queen, and King cards within each Minor Arcana suit. They may represent people, personality qualities, roles, levels of experience, or ways of approaching a situation.

A Tarotoo reading that provides daily perspectives for Love, Mood, and Growth. It combines tarot symbolism with astrology and numerology and may use a name, date of birth, zodiac sign, and the current date to personalize the interpretation.

The personal impressions, associations, or feelings that arise while selecting or interpreting cards. Intuition can help a user reflect on what feels relevant, but Tarotoo does not measure, verify, or claim access to a person’s intuition.

Short words or phrases that summarize a tarot card’s core meanings. They are stored with each card record in Tarotoo’s dataset and retrieved with the selected cards for website readings.

A Tarotoo reading focused on romantic relationships, emotional connections, and interpersonal dynamics. The selected cards are interpreted according to their positions and the relationship context provided by the user.

The 22 cards numbered from 0 to 21 that represent broad themes, transitions, and archetypal experiences. They begin with The Fool and end with The World.

The 56 cards divided among the suits of Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. They are commonly associated with everyday experiences, emotions, choices, relationships, work, and practical matters.

Cards shown upside down in relation to the reader. Their reversed meanings may emphasize blockage, delay, imbalance, internalization, reduced intensity, or an alternative expression of the upright meaning. A reversed meaning is not necessarily the exact opposite of the upright meaning.

An influential tarot deck first published in 1909 by William Rider & Son, developed by A. E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. Its fully illustrated scenes influenced many modern decks. Tarotoo’s card designs, symbolism, and card meanings are based primarily on this tradition.

The process of randomizing the order of tarot cards before selection. Tarotoo performs this digitally so cards do not remain in a fixed order between readings. The AI does not control the shuffle or decide where particular cards appear.

Illustrated cards used for symbolic interpretation, reflection, and entertainment. A standard Rider–Waite–Smith tarot deck contains 78 cards divided into the Major and Minor Arcana. Tarot cards do not provide guaranteed predictions or independently verified facts.

Symbolic associations connecting tarot cards with systems such as the elements, planets, zodiac signs, and numerology. Readers may use these associations to add context to an interpretation, and correspondence systems can vary between traditions.

A complete collection of tarot cards designed to be used together. Decks can differ in artwork, symbolism, card names, and how their meanings are interpreted. Tarotoo primarily follows the Rider–Waite–Smith deck. Website readings currently use the 22 upright Major Arcana cards, while the optional mobile app includes the complete 78-card deck and reversed cards.

A process in which the meanings of selected tarot cards are applied to a question or theme. The resulting interpretation may consider the spread, card positions, card combinations, symbolism, and the user’s context.

An arrangement of cards in which each place has a defined role. Spreads can contain one card or many cards and may focus on a general situation, relationships, decisions, personal reflection, or another theme.

The four divisions of the Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Wands are commonly associated with action and creativity; Cups with emotions and relationships; Swords with thought and communication; and Pentacles with work, resources, and material life.

The visual elements and recurring symbols depicted on tarot cards, including colours, numbers, figures, animals, objects, and landscapes. Their traditional associations contribute to a card’s core meaning, while the question, card position, and overall reading context determine how that meaning is applied.

Topic-specific applications of a card’s general meaning, such as love, career, mood, or spiritual reflection. They are stored as separate fields in Tarotoo’s dataset and retrieved only when relevant to a reading.

A tarot spread containing three defined positions. A common example is Past–Present–Future, although the positions can represent other stages, perspectives, or aspects of a question.

Cards shown in their standard orientation during a reading. Their upright meanings express the card’s primary themes and are then applied to the question, spread position, and surrounding cards.

A focused reading that interprets a selected card as leaning toward yes, no, or an uncertain or conditional response. It offers a symbolic perspective rather than a factual answer or guaranteed outcome.

The final written interpretation generated automatically for the current session. An AI language model creates it from the completed prompt prepared by Tarotoo’s AI logic. Individual outputs are not manually reviewed before being displayed.

Tarotoo’s AI-powered conversational feature for tarot, astrology, numerology, spirituality, and personal reflection. Unlike structured readings, it uses user messages, conversation context, and topic-specific prompts and instructions rather than selected cards, spread positions, or a fixed reading format. It is not a human psychic and does not possess supernatural abilities.

A reading created from defined inputs such as the selected spread, card positions, selected cards, retrieved dataset information, and response instructions. It differs from the open conversational format of Psychic Chat.

The documented process used to create a tarot interpretation. Tarotoo’s methodology covers card selection, spreads, position meanings, dataset retrieval, AI prompts and logic, card combinations, response structure, language, tone, safety instructions, testing, and review.

The organized system of card meanings, visual symbols, keywords, thematic interpretations, and correspondences that informs a reading. Tarotoo’s symbolic framework is based primarily on the Rider–Waite–Smith tradition and represented in its tarot dataset.

A computer model designed to process and generate language from supplied information and instructions. On Tarotoo, it uses the completed prompt to generate the reading; card selection, dataset retrieval, and prompt preparation happen separately.

Tarotoo’s processes for matching selected cards to dataset records, retrieving their meanings, keywords, and other information needed for the reading, and organizing this with the question, spread, card positions, and reading instructions to create the AI prompt. AI logic does not select the cards or write the final response; the AI language model generates it from the completed prompt.

The process of adjusting an AI model using data so it can learn patterns and produce outputs. Real-time processing through an API is separate from model training. Tarotoo does not allow users’ submitted information or reading outputs to be used for model training.

A structured input prepared by Tarotoo’s AI logic and sent through the API to the AI language model. For a structured reading, it contains the question, spread, card positions, selected cards, retrieved meanings and keywords, other needed dataset information, and instructions for card relationships, response structure, language, tone, and safety.

A technical connection that allows separate software systems to exchange requests and responses. Tarotoo uses an encrypted API connection to send the structured prompt to its AI service provider for real-time processing and receive the generated interpretation.

A method that gives an AI model relevant reference information before it generates text. Tarotoo uses direct lookup: the selected cards identify the exact dataset records, and the required information from those records is added to the AI prompt.

Because tarot uses a fixed collection of cards, the required records can be retrieved directly.

A saved record of previous readings. The Tarotoo website does not store a server-based history of completed readings, so users should copy any response they want to keep. If a Tarotoo app offers reading history, it is stored locally on the user’s device and can be removed through the app or by uninstalling it.

A persistent identifier used to locate and cite a digital publication or dataset even if its web address changes. Tarotoo’s dataset has one DOI for its complete version history that points to the latest release, plus separate DOIs for individual releases.

A license defines how published material may be used, copied, modified, and shared. Tarotoo releases its dataset, MCP server, and software packages under the MIT License, which permits commercial and non-commercial reuse provided the required copyright and license notices are retained.

An open standard that lets AI applications connect to external data and tools in a consistent way. Tarotoo’s MCP server lets supported AI tools look up information from its tarot dataset.

Data made publicly available under terms that permit access and reuse. Tarotoo publishes its structured tarot card dataset under the MIT License for research, education, software development, and commercial or non-commercial projects.

Software whose source code is publicly available under a license permitting it to be inspected, used, modified, and distributed. Tarotoo publishes its dataset tools, software packages, and MCP server under the MIT License.

An organized online location used to store and maintain project files, source data, documentation, validation tools, and version history. Tarotoo’s public GitHub repository contains its open tarot dataset and related developer resources.

A prepared collection of code or data that developers can install and use within another project. Tarotoo provides JavaScript and Python packages containing its tarot dataset and lookup utilities.

A structured collection of card records that software can process, covering all 78 Rider–Waite–Smith tarot cards. Each record contains fields for upright and reversed meanings and keywords, thematic interpretations, symbolic correspondences, a yes/no value, and other card information. Website readings use only the records and fields needed for each reading. The public dataset does not contain users’ questions, chats, or readings.

A symbolic tradition that interprets the positions and movements of celestial bodies in relation to human experiences and themes. Tarotoo uses astrology for reflective and entertainment purposes, not as a scientific assessment or guaranteed prediction.

A symbolic map showing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and other points used in astrology at the time of a person’s birth. A detailed chart generally requires a birth date, exact birth time, and birthplace.

A numerology value calculated from the letters in a person’s full birth name. It is traditionally interpreted as representing abilities, tendencies, or forms of self-expression and is also called the expression number.

A numerology value calculated from a person’s date of birth. It is traditionally interpreted as representing broad life themes, tendencies, and areas of learning.

A symbolic system that interprets numbers derived from names, dates, or other information. Tarotoo uses numerology for reflection and entertainment rather than as a factual assessment or guaranteed prediction.

One of the twelve signs used in Western astrology. In everyday usage, a person’s zodiac sign usually means their Sun sign, which is determined from their birth date.

The claimed ability to perceive information beyond the ordinary senses. The term is commonly used in psychic and spiritual contexts. Tarotoo’s AI does not possess or claim clairvoyant abilities.

The practice of attempting to predict future events or reveal hidden information through symbolic, intuitive, or supernatural methods. Although tarot is traditionally associated with fortune-telling, Tarotoo presents its readings as tools for reflection and entertainment rather than guaranteed or factual predictions.

A Tarotoo section featuring independently selected affiliate partners that connect users with human psychic advisors. Tarotoo may earn a commission from qualifying referrals, but these services operate separately from Tarotoo’s AI readings.

The claimed practice of communicating with spirits or people who have died. Tarotoo’s AI and Psychic Chat cannot communicate with spirits or verify messages attributed to them.

A session in which a person who describes themselves as psychic or intuitive offers guidance or interpretations. Methods and claims vary between practitioners. Tarotoo’s AI-generated readings and Psychic Chat are automated services and do not possess psychic abilities.