• enPR: vī'təl, IPA: /ˈvaɪtəl/
• (America) IPA: /ˈvaɪt̬əl/

vital

1. Relating to, or characteristic of life.

   Synonyms: lifely

   vital energies; vital functions; vital actions

2. Necessary to the continuation of life; being the seat of life; being that on which life depends.

   The brain is a vital organ.

   • Do the heavens afford him vital food?

3. Invigorating or life-giving.
4. Necessary to continued existence.

   The transition to farming was vital for the creation of civilisation.

5. Relating to the recording of life events.

   Birth, marriage and death certificates are vital records.

6. Very important.

   Synonyms: crucial, necessary, significant, Thesaurus:important

   It is vital that you don't forget to do your homework.

7. Containing life; living.

   Synonyms: extant, live, kicking, Thesaurus:alive

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 6”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     spirits that live throughout, vital in every part

   • 1715, Homer; [Alexander] Pope, transl., “Book V”, in The Iliad of Homer, volume I, London: Printed by W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott between the Temple-Gates, OCLC 670734254 ↗:

     The dart […] pierced a vital part.

8. Capable of living; in a state to live; viable.

   • Pythagoras and Hippocrates […] affirm the birth of the seventh month to be vital.

• mortal

• French: vital
• Italian: vitale
• Portuguese: vital
• Russian: жи́зненный
• Spanish: vital

• French: vital
• German: lebenswichtig
• Italian: vitale
• Portuguese: vital
• Russian: жи́зненно ва́жный
• Spanish: vital

• Russian: жи́вотво́рный

• German: lebenswichtig
• Russian: жи́зненно ва́жный

• Russian: демографи́ческий

• French: vital
• Italian: vitale
• Portuguese: vital
• Russian: жи́зненно ва́жный
• Spanish: vital

1. Surname