crucial

[kroo-shuh l] /ˈkru ʃəl/
adjective
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.
Origin
1700-10; < Latin cruci- (stem of crux) cross + -al1
Related forms
cruciality
[kroo-shee-al-i-tee, kroo-shal-] /ˌkru ʃiˈæl ɪ ti, kruˈʃæl-/ (Show IPA), noun
crucially, adverb
noncrucial, adjective
noncrucially, adverb
precrucial, adjective
Synonyms
1. momentous, vital, essential, significant.
Examples from the web for crucial
  • Studies show that coaches often make poor choices in crucial situations.
  • To start with, they are crucial to the finances of cash-strapped universities.
  • Information, crucial to efficient trading, is scanty.
  • Another crucial factor may be the existence of large fund-management firms, whose portfolios are diversified across the globe.
  • Such scientific work is crucial because aquifers are still poorly understood.
  • The data collected is crucial to naval engineers trying to predict the vessel's likely shifts of position.
  • Normally, tau helps provide structure crucial to neuron functioning.
  • Disciplining your thoughts and controlling your conscious mind, are crucial elements of conquering this fear.
  • People who don't care-or don't need to care-what others think of them show how crucial reputation is to civilization.
  • The replacement of fins with limbs was a crucial step in this transformation, but it was by no means the only one.
British Dictionary definitions for crucial

crucial

/ˈkruːʃəl/
adjective
1.
involving a final or supremely important decision or event; decisive; critical
2.
(informal) very important
3.
(slang) very good
Derived Forms
crucially, adverb
Word Origin
C18: from French, from Latin cruxcross
Word Origin and History for crucial
adj.

1706, "cross-shaped," from French crucial, a medical term for ligaments of the knee (which cross each other), from Latin crux (genitive crucis) "cross" (see cross (n.)). The meaning "decisive, critical" (1830) is extended from a logical term, Instantias Crucis, adopted by Francis Bacon (1620); the notion is of cross fingerboard signposts at forking roads, thus a requirement to choose.

Slang definitions & phrases for crucial

crucial

adjective

Excellent: crucial new music video (1987+)