vital
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to life.
vital processes.
-
having remarkable energy, liveliness, or force of personality.
a vital leader.
-
being the seat or source of life.
the vital organs.
-
necessary to life.
vital fluids.
-
necessary to the existence, continuance, or well-being of something; indispensable; essential.
vital for a healthy society.
-
affecting the existence, well-being, truth, etc., of something.
a vital error.
-
of critical importance.
vital decisions.
-
destructive to life; deadly.
a vital wound.
adjective
-
essential to maintain life
the lungs perform a vital function
-
forceful, energetic, or lively
a vital person
-
of, relating to, having, or displaying life
a vital organism
-
indispensable or essential
books vital to this study
-
of great importance; decisive
a vital game
-
archaic influencing the course of life, esp negatively
a vital treachery
noun
-
(plural)
-
the bodily organs, such as the brain, liver, heart, lungs, etc, that are necessary to maintain life
-
the organs of reproduction, esp the male genitals
-
-
(plural) the essential elements of anything
Other Word Forms
- nonvital adjective
- nonvitally adverb
- nonvitalness noun
- quasi-vital adjective
- quasi-vitally adverb
- supervital adjective
- supervitally adverb
- supervitalness noun
- unvital adjective
- unvitally adverb
- unvitalness noun
- vitally adverb
- vitalness noun
Etymology
Origin of vital
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. )
Explanation
A patient's vital signs are their important body functions, such as pulse rate, that shows they are still alive. Use the adjective vital to describe something that is important and necessary, or a person full of energy. Vital descends from Middle English, from Old French, from Latin vītālis, from vīta, "life." If you are vital to the organization you work for, it means they cannot live without you — or at least that you're an important part of the team. If you're a vital force in your church volunteer group, you probably are a leader with lots of energy to give.
Vocabulary lists containing vital
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 7
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Experts say these interactions are vital, and not just emotionally, but biologically too.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
As restrictions remain on the vital trade route, Americans are beginning to see financial impacts beyond the gas pump.
From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026
The ship, also linked to the Kremlin’s deep-sea unit, has crisscrossed the globe for a decade mapping vital arteries for the global economy that run along the sea floor, Western officials say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
For several analysts, the most credible scenario is some kind of partnership between Oman and Iran, the two countries bordering the vital maritime passage.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
“You didn’t lose by much,” Mary Anne continued, ignoring the vital signs.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
