Main Entry: vi·tal·ism

Pronunciation: \ˈvī-tə-ˌli-zəm\

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 \ˌvī-tə-ˈlis-tik\ adjective