vitals
plural noun
vi·tals
ˈvī-tᵊlz
1
a
: internal bodily organs (such as the heart, lungs, and brain) that are essential to life
especially
: the vital organs of the abdomen (such as the liver and kidneys)
… charming opponents with her killer looks before delivering a karate kick to their vitals… —Stephen O'Shea
There is very little room to slip an arrow over that log and into the buck's vitals. —North American Hunter
b
: essential parts
Delving into its slippery ways, the blog showed the Sony malware cloaking itself within the vitals of the machine …—George Smith
2
: vital statistics sense 2a
… it takes all of 10 minutes to get his vitals in writing (surgeon, 33, Yale, lives uptown) …—Christine Fenno
Look past … Bryant McKinni's mind-boggling vitals (6'8", 343) and focus on one number: 0. That's how many sacks he surrendered in his college career.—ESPN The Magazine
3
: vital signs sense 1
The nurse who came in most afternoons to check his vitals and most evenings to get him ready for the night …—Stephen King
Cite this Entry
“Vitals.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vitals. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
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