vital Hear it!

vital definition

vi·tal (vīt'l)

adjective

  1. of, concerned with, or manifesting life vital energy
    1. necessary or essential to life; being a source or support of life vital organs
    2. affecting, esp. destroying, life; critical, esp. fatal a vital wound
    1. essential to the existence or continuance of something; indispensable a vital function
    2. of crucial importance a vital matter
  2. affecting the validity, truth, etc. of something a vital error
  3. full of life and vigor; energetic a vital personality

Etymology: ME < MFr < L vitalis, vital < vita, life, akin to vivere, to live: see bio-

noun

  1. the vital organs, as the heart, brain, lungs, etc.
  2. the essential parts of anything, indispensable for its existence, continuance, etc.

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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