— cruciality /krooh'shee al"i tee, krooh shal"-/ , n. — crucially , adv.
/krooh"sheuhl/ , adj.
1. involving an extremely important decision or result; decisive; critical: a crucial experiment.
2. severe; trying.
3. of the form of a cross; cross-shaped.
[ 1700-10; cruci- (s. of crux ) CROSS + -AL 1 ]
Syn. 1. momentous, vital, essential, significant.