vital
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
vital/ˈvʌɪtl/
▶adjective
- 1 absolutely necessary; essential.
■ indispensable to the continuance of life: the vital organs.
- 2 full of energy; lively.
- 3 archaic fatal.
– derivatives
vitally adverb.
vitally adverb.
– origin ME: via OFr. from L. vitalis, from vita ‘life’.
'vital' also found in these Oxford entries:
basal metabolic rate
- entelechy
- flesh wound
- heart
- imperative
- ital
- key worker
- life
- life support
- marrow
- meridian
- organ
- rejuvenate
- spirit
- suspended animation
- vital capacity
- vital force
- vital signs
- vital statistics
