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Belonging or relating to life, either animal or vegetable; as, vital energies; vital functions; vital actions.

Pertaining to life; vital. [R.]

The doctrine that all the functions of a living organism are due to an unknown vital principle distinct from all chemical and physical forces.

A believer in the theory of vitalism; -- opposed to physicist.

Pertaining to, or involving, vitalism, or the theory of a special vital principle.

The quality or state of being vital; the principle of life; vital force; animation; as, the vitality of eggs or vegetable seeds; the vitality of an enterprise.

The act or process of vitalizing, or infusing the vital principle.

To endow with life, or vitality; to give life to; to make alive; as, vitalized blood.

In a vital manner.

Fig.: The part essential to the life or health of anything; as, the vitals of a state. "The vitals of the public body." Glanvill.

To deprive of life or vitality. -- De*vi`tal*i*za"tion, n.

Derived from, or dependent upon, vital processes; -- said of certain electric currents supposed by some physiologists to circulate in the nerves of animals.

The theory that the functions of living organisms are dependent upon electricity or a kindred force.

Between two lives. [R.] Through all its [the spirit's] intervital gloom. Tennyson.

To restore vitality to; to bring back to life. L. S. Beale.

Imperfectly vitalized; having naturally but little vital power or energy.

Considerable debility of the vital powers, as in typhoid fever. Dunglison.

Pertaining to, or characterized by, debility of the vital powers; weak.

Any aëriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air. [Obs.]

recited the story with great animation. Suspended animation, temporary suspension of the vital functions, as in persons nearly drowned.