vital function

American  

noun

Physiology.

1. any function of the body that is essential for life.

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Etymology

Origin of vital function

First recorded in 1795–1805

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vital function

“They’re primarily insectivorous here in the United States, and so they’re just going out to eat, and they’re performing this vital function for us,” Curtis said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

But while it may have a new term, social-emotional learning has always been a vital function of education.

From Salon ● Mar. 30, 2026

Conditions such as hypertension and diabetes can compromise this vital function, leading to a kidney failure -- irreversible condition necessitating lifelong treatment through artificial hemodialysis or donor kidney transplantation.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 17, 2024

But many lawmakers and scholars argue that earmarks fulfill a vital function of Congress, and help to grease the wheels of the legislative process by giving individuals members tangible reasons to negotiate spending deals.

From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2023

It is a root, which does not enter into vital function till it produces something else than a root; namely, fruit.

From Unto This Last and Other Essays on Political Economy by John Ruskin

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