What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Deadly vs Vital - What's the difference?

deadly | vital |

As adjectives the difference between deadly and vital

is that deadly is (lb) subject to death; mortal while vital is relating to, or characteristic of life.

As an adverb deadly

is (obsolete) fatally, mortally.

deadly

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (lb) Subject to death; mortal.
  • *:
  • *:And whan he cam to the sacrament of the masse / and had done / anone he called Galahad and sayd to hym come forthe the seruaunt of Ihesu cryst and thou shalt see that thou hast moche desyred to see / & thenne he beganne to tremble ryght hard / whan the dedely flesshe beganne to beholde the spyrytuel thynges
  • *Wyclif Bible, (w) i. 23
  • *:The image of a deadly man.
  • Causing death; lethal.
  • Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:Thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly .
  • (lb) Very accurate (of aiming with a bow, firearm, etc.).
  • *
  • *:But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
  • (lb) Very boring.
  • *
  • *:“I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly , idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital,!”
  • (lb) Excellent, awesome, cool.
  • Derived terms

    * deadly sin

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) Fatally, mortally.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, p.16:
  • perceiving himselfe deadly wounded by a shot received in his body, being by his men perswaded to come off and retire himselfe from out the throng, answered, he would not now so neere his end, begin to turn his face from his enemie
  • In a way which suggests death.
  • Her face suddenly became deadly white.
  • Extremely.
  • deadly weary — Orrery.
    so deadly cunning a man — Arbuthnot.

    vital

    English

    (wikipedia vital)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Relating to, or characteristic of life.
  • vital''' energies; '''vital''' functions; '''vital actions
  • Necessary to the continuation of life; being the seat of life; being that on which life depends.
  • The brain is a vital organ.
  • * Spenser
  • Do the heavens afford him vital food?
  • Invigorating or life-giving.
  • Necessary to continued existence.
  • The transition to farming was vital for the creation of civilisation.
  • Relating to the recording of life events.
  • Birth, marriage and death certificates are vital records.
  • Very important.
  • It is vital that you don't forget to do your homework.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-12-14
  • , author=Simon Jenkins, authorlink=Simon Jenkins , title=We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys , volume=188, issue=2, page=23 , date=2012-12-21 , magazine= citation , passage=David Cameron insists that his latest communications data bill is “vital to counter terrorism”. Yet terror is mayhem. It is no threat to freedom. That threat is from counter-terror, from ministers capitulating to securocrats.}}
  • Containing life; living.
  • * Milton
  • spirits that live throughout, vital in every part
  • * Alexander Pope
  • The dart flew on, and pierced a vital part.
  • Capable of living; in a state to live; viable.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
  • Pythagoras and Hippocrates affirm the birth of the seventh month to be vital .

    Derived terms

    * vital force * vital organ * vital signs * vital statistics