vital

[vahyt-l]

adjective

1. of or relating to life.

   vital processes.

2. having remarkable energy, liveliness, or force of personality.

   a vital leader.

3. being the seat or source of life.

   the vital organs.

4. necessary to life.

   vital fluids.

5. necessary to the existence, continuance, or well-being of something; indispensable; essential.

   vital for a healthy society.

   Synonyms: critical, important

6. affecting the existence, well-being, truth, etc., of something.

   a vital error.

7. of critical importance.

   vital decisions.

8. destructive to life; deadly.

   a vital wound.

vital

/ ˈvaɪtəl /

adjective

1. essential to maintain life

   the lungs perform a vital function

2. forceful, energetic, or lively

   a vital person

3. of, relating to, having, or displaying life

   a vital organism

4. indispensable or essential

   books vital to this study

5. of great importance; decisive

   a vital game

6. archaic,  influencing the course of life, esp negatively

   a vital treachery

noun

1. (plural)

   1. the bodily organs, such as the brain, liver, heart, lungs, etc, that are necessary to maintain life

   2. the organs of reproduction, esp the male genitals

2. (plural) the essential elements of anything

Other Word Forms

• vitally adverb
• vitalness noun
• nonvital adjective
• nonvitally adverb
• nonvitalness noun
• quasi-vital adjective
• quasi-vitally adverb
• supervital adjective
• supervitally adverb
• supervitalness noun
• unvital adjective
• unvitally adverb
• unvitalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vital¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin vītālis, equivalent to vīt(a) “life” (derivative of vīvere “to live”; akin to Greek bioûn, Sanskrit jīvati “(he) lives,” English quick ( def. ) ) + -ālis -al ¹ ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of vital¹

C14: via Old French from Latin vītālis belonging to life, from vīta life

Example Sentences

During this time, pain became a vital sign, and there were trends to liberate the prescribing of opioids to treat general pain.

Read more on Salon

In both cell types, many genes were expressed differently in people with depression, pointing to possible disruptions in vital neural systems.

Read more on Science Daily

"I'm keen to get stuck in and help raise awareness of the hospitals' life-saving impact as well as the vital funds it needs to go above and beyond for patients."

Read more on BBC

For the small, developing nation, the toll was hefty -- killing one person, destroying dozens of homes, and reducing vital forests to ash.

Read more on Barron's

When the ban hit, Ms. Wille lost a vital part of her practice and was furloughed by her clinic.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• basic 
• critical 
• crucial 
• decisive 
• fundamental 
• imperative 
• important 
• indispensable 
• integral 
• key 
• meaningful 
• necessary 
• needed 
• significant 
• urgent