different between serious vs vital

English

Etymology

From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin s?ri?sus, an extension of Latin s?rius (“grave, earnest, serious”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). Cognate with German schwer (“heavy, difficult, severe”), Old English sw?r (“heavy, grave, grievous”). More at swear, sweer.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s???.i.?s/, [?si??.i.?s]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s??.?i.?s/
• Rhymes: -???i?s
• Homophones: cereous, Sirius (one pronunciation)

Adjective

serious (comparative more serious or seriouser, superlative most serious or seriousest)

1. Without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition

   It was a surprise to see the captain, who had always seemed so serious, laugh so heartily.

   Synonyms: earnest, solemn

2. Important; weighty; not insignificant

   This is a serious problem. We'll need our best experts.

3. Really intending what is said (or planned, etc); in earnest; not jocular or deceiving

   After all these years, we're finally getting serious attention.

   He says he wants to buy the team, but is he serious?

4. (of a relationship) Committed.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:serious

Antonyms

• (important, weighty): trifling, unimportant
• (intending what is said): jesting

Derived terms

• srs (abbreviation)
• dead serious
• seriously
• seriousness
• serious-minded
• serious-mindedly
• serious-mindedness

Translations

Adverb

serious (not comparable)

1. (colloquial, dialect) In a serious manner; seriously.

Further reading

• serious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• serious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Middle English vital, from Old French vital, from Latin v?t?lis (“of life, life-giving”), from v?ta (“life”), from v?v? (“I live”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: v?'t?l, IPA^(key): /?va?t?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?va?t??l/
• Rhymes: -a?t?l

Adjective

vital (comparative more vital, superlative most vital)

1. Relating to, or characteristic of life.

   Synonym: lifely

2. Necessary to the continuation of life; being the seat of life; being that on which life depends.
3. Invigorating or life-giving.
4. Necessary to continued existence.

5. Relating to the recording of life events.

6. Very important.

   Synonyms: crucial, necessary, significant; see also Thesaurus:important
7. Containing life; living.

   Synonyms: extant, live, kicking; see also Thesaurus:alive
8. Capable of living; in a state to live; viable.

Derived terms

Related terms

Antonyms

• mortal

Translations

Further reading

• vital in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• vital in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vitalis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /vi?tal/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /bi?tal/

Adjective

vital (masculine and feminine plural vitals)

1. vital

Related terms

• vida
• vitalitat

French

Etymology

From Old French vital, from Latin v?t?lis (“of life, life-giving”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vi.tal/
• Homophones: vitale, vitales

Adjective

vital (feminine singular vitale, masculine plural vitaux, feminine plural vitales)

1. vital

Related terms

• vitalité
• vie

Further reading

• “vital” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Galician

Etymology

From Latin v?t?lis (“of life, life-giving”).

Adjective

vital m or f (plural vitais)

1. vital (relating to, or characteristic of life)
2. vital, important, necessary

Related terms

• vida
• vitalidade

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin v?t?lis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vi?ta?l/
• Rhymes: -a?l

Adjective

vital (comparative vitaler, superlative am vitalsten)

1. lively; hale; vigorous
2. (rather rare, formal) vital (necessary to, or characteristic of life)

Declension

Synonyms

• (lively): lebhaft; markig; rüstig; voller Leben
• (vital): lebenswichtig; Lebens-

Interlingua

Adjective

vital (not comparable)

1. vital

Related terms

• vita

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vitalis.

Adjective

vital (neuter singular vitalt, definite singular and plural vitale)

1. vital

References

• “vital” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vitalis.

Adjective

vital (neuter singular vitalt, definite singular and plural vitale)

1. vital

References

• “vital” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin vitalis.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /vi.?taw/

Adjective

vital m or f (plural vitais, comparable)

1. vital (relating to, or characteristic of life)
2. vital (necessary to the continuation of life)
3. vital (very important)

   Synonyms: crucial, fundamental, essencial

Related terms

• vida
• vitalidade

Romanian

Etymology

From French vital, from Latin vitalis.

Adjective

vital m or n (feminine singular vital?, masculine plural vitali, feminine and neuter plural vitale)

1. vital

Declension

Related terms

• vitalitate

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin vitalis.

Adjective

vital (plural vitales)

1. vital

Derived terms

Related terms

• vitalidad
• vida

See also

• vivo