crucial

Definition

Essential or decisive for determining the outcome or future of something; extremely important; vital.

Etymology

1706, from French crucial, a medical term for ligaments of the knee (which cross each other), from Latin crux, crucis (“cross”) (English crux), from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”). The meaning “decisive, critical” is extended from a logical term, Instantias Crucis, adopted by Francis Bacon in his influential Novum Organum (1620); the notion is of cross fingerboard signposts at forking roads, thus a requirement to choose.

Example Sentences

• "The battle of Tali-Ihantala in 1944 is one of the crucial moments in the history of Finland."
• "A secure supply of crude oil is crucial for any modern nation, let alone a superpower."
• "The perfume industry is facing a major problem: maintaining constant levels of quality is crucial, but it is increasingly difficult to obtain a regular supply of all the necessary natural ingredients."

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