n.
Pronunciation: ' v ī -t ə - ˌ li-z ə m
Function: noun
Date: 1822
1 : a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from physicochemical forces
2 : a doctrine that the processes of life are not explicable by the laws of physics and chemistry alone and that life is in some part self-determining
– vi · tal · ist \ -list \ noun or adjective
– vi · tal · is · tic \ ˌ v ī -t ə - ' lis-tik \ adjective