RWS

Initialism of Rider-Waite-Smith; a tarot deck first published in 1909 by William Rider & Son, featuring illustrations by artist Pamela Colman Smith, based on the instructions of occultist A. E. Waite.

Proper noun

  1. Initialism of Rider-Waite-Smith; a tarot deck first published in 1909 by William Rider & Son, featuring illustrations by artist Pamela Colman Smith, based on the instructions of occultist A. E. Waite.
    • The RWS card shows the Empress in a garden suggesting natural surroundings, gardening, beautifying your environment, or working with food, plants, and personal enhancements. - 2002, Mary K. Greer, The Complete Book of...
    • In RWS-influenced decks, the Sun card depicts a single gleeful child. - 2014, Mark McElroy, A Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, page 80:
    • I referenced the RWS in my examples, but only for reasons of accessibility—not because I think it’s a better deck. - 2016, Courtney Weber, Tarot for One: The Art of Reading for Yourself, page 237:

    Synonyms: RW