vital
Definitions
Absolutely necessary; essential
至关重要的；必不可少的
Relating to or necessary for life
生命的；维持生命所必需的
Full of energy and life; lively
充满活力的；生气勃勃的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedvit (vīta, 'life') + -al ('relating to') = 'relating to life.' The medical sense came first — vital organs and vital signs are literally what keep you alive. From there the meaning broadened: if something is 'necessary for life,' it is by extension 'absolutely essential.' Call a clue vital and you mean the investigation can't survive without it.
Root viv still carries 48 more wordsExample Sentences
- 1.
Access to clean water is vital for the whole community.
- 2.
The nurses checked the patient's vital signs every hour.
- 3.
He plays a vital role in keeping the team together.
Easily Confused
vital vs essential vs crucial — all mean 'can't do without,' but vital carries a faint sense of life or survival (vital organs, a vital lifeline). essential is the neutral, all-purpose word. crucial stresses a decisive turning point (a crucial moment, a crucial decision). When lives or systems are at stake, vital fits best.