nonvital

English

Alternative forms

• non-vital

Etymology

non- +‎ vital

Adjective

nonvital (not comparable)

1. Not vital (in various senses); thus, often not essential for life

   The eye is a nonvital organ.

2. (dentistry) Not containing living nerve tissue
   • 1998, J.W. Myers, “Demonstration of a possible source of error with an electric pulp tester”^[1], Journal of Endodontics, volume 24, number 3: 

     Such an occurrence could provoke a vital response from a patient when a nonvital tooth was being tested (a "false-positive").

Derived terms

• nonvitality
• nonvitally