Master the word " PIVOTAL " in English: definitions, translations, synonyms, pronunciations, examples, and grammar insights - all in one complete resource. High school graduation is a pivotal moment in most people's lives — an important point that signifies a shift in direction. The adjective ' pivotal ' has its etymological roots in the concept of a pivot, which is a point on which something turns or rotates. It is derived from the French word 'pivot,' which means 'hinge.' The term 'pivot' was later adopted into English to describe a crucial or central point around which other things revolve or depend. In this sense, something ' pivotal ' is critically important and essential to the success or outcome of a particular situation, event, or process, much like a hinge is ...