Note 222 — Chapter IV · OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CARDS AND THE MARKS OF THE SUITS.

The word Tarot has been supposed to be a corruption of Tarocchi. Cards marked on the back with lines crossing lozenge-wise, and with little spots, are called Cartes Tarotées; and in France card-makers appear to have been formerly called Tarcotiers. Menestrier conceives that it was from these "lignes frettées en forme de rezeuil" cards were named Tarcuits, and Cartes Tarautées. He says that Tare,—defaut, déchet, tache,—signifies properly a hole, un trou; and he derives it from the Greek τερειν, to bore. From Tare he also derives Tariff, a ruled book for entering the duties on goods. Mons. Duchesne says that Tarot "vient en effet de l'Italien tarrochio, dont à la vérité nous ignorons encore la signification."