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vital (adj.)late 14c., "of or manifesting life," from Latin vitalis "of or belonging to life," from vita "life," related to vivere "to live," from PIE root *gwei- "to live." The sense of "necessary or important" is from 1610s, via the notion of "essential to life" (late 15c.). Vital capacity recorded from 1852. Related: Vitally.
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vital statistics (n.)1837, with reference to birth, marriage, death, etc.; meaning "a woman's bust, waist, and hip measurements" is from 1952. See vital.
Related entries & more vitality (n.)1590s, from Latin vitalitatem (nominative vitalitas) "vital force, life," from vitalis "pertaining to life" (see vital).
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vitals (n.)"organs of the body essential to life," c. 1600, from noun use of adjective vital, perhaps on model of Latin vitalia "vital force," neuter plural of vitalis.
Related entries & more curriculum vitae (n.)
Related entries & more "brief account of one's life and work," 1902, Latin, literally "course of one's life" (see curriculum + vital). Abbreviated c.v.
vivacity (n.)early 15c., "liveliness, vigor," from Old French vivacite or directly from Latin vivacitatem (nominative vivacitas) "vital force, liveliness," from vivax (genitive vivacis) "lively," also "long-lived," from vivere "to live" (see vital).
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