vital (ˈvaɪtəll
)
Definitions
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
Alternative Forms
ˈvitally adverbWord Origin
C14: via Old French from Latin vītālis belonging to life, from vīta lifeSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
essential,
important,
necessary,
key,
basic,
significant,
critical,
radical,
crucial,
fundamental,
urgent,
decisive,
cardinal,
imperative,
indispensable,
requisite,
life-or-death,
must-have,
=
lively,
vigorous,
energetic,
spirited,
dynamic,
animated,
vibrant,
forceful,
sparky,
vivacious,
full of beans,
zestful,
full of the joy of living
=
living,
live,
alive,
animate,
quickening,
life-giving,
alive and kicking,
generative,
invigorative,
Translations
- British English:
vital
If something is vital, it is necessary or very important.It is vital that action is taken quickly.ˈvaɪtl ADJECTIVE It is vital that action is taken quickly.
- Spanish:
vital
adj
- French:
vital
adj
- German:
entscheidend
adj
- Chinese: 生死攸关的 adj
- Arabic: حَيَوِيّ adj
- Portuguese: vital adj
- Russian: жизненный adj жизненная
- Croatian: vitalan adj vitalna
- Czech: důležitý adj
- Danish: vital adj
- Dutch: essentieel adj
- Finnish: elintärkeä adj
- Greek: ζωτικός adj ζωτική
- Italian: vitale adj
- Japanese: きわめて重大な no_posp
- Korean: 필수적인 adj
- Norwegian: vital adj
- Polish: życiowy adj życiowa
- Brazilian Portuguese: vital adj
- European Spanish:
vital
adj
- Swedish: livsviktig adj livsviktigt
- Thai: สำคัญมาก adj
- Turkish: hayati adj
- Vietnamese: sống còn adj
Usage examples
For Carol, it was vital to establish a bridgehead of respect at the very least.
, THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)Normal reaction Humanitarian agencies must wait for security to improve before they can deliver vital supplies to hospitals in Baghdad.
New Scientist (2003)The president spoke repeatedly of ANWR as vital to the US's war on terror, guaranteeing a measure of domestic oil security.
Irish Times (2002)Benefits to consumers are a good thing, but will be less welcome if there is a wholesale culling of these vital assets.
Glasgow Herald (2001)In an instant he had succeeded in producing the vital skin graft that years of research had not yielded.
, THE MEDICAL MYSTERIES E-OMNIBUS (2001)