vital

/ˈvaɪtəl/

//ˈvaɪtəl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"vital" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“vital” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,793 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,793
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Relating to or characteristic of life.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

vital vs viva
60% similar
vital vs vocal
60% similar
vital vs vitals
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for vital
PropertyValue
Headwordvital
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈvaɪtəl/
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,793
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “vital” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). vital lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for vital is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvaɪtəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,793 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for vital, with forms such as "ivtal", "viatl", and "vitall". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "viva", "vocal", "vitals", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English vital, from Old French vital, from Latin vītālis (“of life, life-giving”), from vīta (“life”), from vīvō (“to live”). Doublet of jiva and quick. The correct English form is vital, spelled V-I-T-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Relating to or characteristic of life.
  2. 2
    Necessary to the continuation of life; being the seat of life; being that on which life depends.
  3. 3
    Invigorating or life-giving.
  4. 4
    Necessary to continued existence.
  5. 5
    Relating to the recording of life events.
  6. 6
    Very important.
  7. 7
    Containing life; living.
  8. 8
    Lively, having vitality
  9. 9
    Capable of living; in a state to live; viable.

Etymology

From Middle English vital, from Old French vital, from Latin vītālis (“of life, life-giving”), from vīta (“life”), from vīvō (“to live”). Doublet of jiva and quick.

Antonyms

mortal

This word in other languages

vital(Español)vital(Français)Lebens-(Deutsch)vital(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ivtal,viatl,vitall,vitla,vittal,vtial,vvital

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of vital - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ivtal2viatl2vitall1vitla2vittal1vtial2vvital1
Edit distance from "vital"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "vital"?
"vital" is spelled V-I-T-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvaɪtəl/.
What does "vital" mean?
As an adjective, "vital" means: Relating to or characteristic of life.
What words are commonly confused with "vital"?
"vital" is commonly confused with "viva", "vocal", "vitals". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "vital"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vital" is /ˈvaɪtəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "vital"?
From Middle English vital, from Old French vital, from Latin vītālis (“of life, life-giving”), from vīta (“life”), from vīvō (“to live”). Doublet of jiva and quick. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “vital”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is V-I-T-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvaɪtəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “viva” - see the side-by-side comparison. vital vs viva
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list