vital statistics

plural noun

1
: statistics relating to births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease
2
a
: facts (such as physical dimensions or quantities) considered to be interesting or important
She proudly ticked off the show's other vital statistics—17 special exhibits spread over 60,000 square feet, quilts from 25 countries, 150 exhibitors who staffed 210 booths …Joseph Harriss
Monday afternoon of the week before our game with Pitt last year, a note suddenly appeared on our locker room "clobber board"—the bulletin board we use to post pictures and vital statistics of opposing players.Ara Parseghian with John McDermott
b
informal + sometimes offensive : a woman's bust, waist, and hip measurements
They ran ads in Russian newspapers asking women to send photos and vital statisticsTime

Examples of vital statistics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Just about every major health and fitness category is covered, including activity, sleep, nutrition, body measurements, and vital statistics like blood pressure and heart rate. David Nield, WIRED, 18 Dec. 2022 People turned to activity trackers, smartwatches and other devices to keep tabs on their steps, vital statistics and more. Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 3 Dec. 2022 The company also is developing sensors that monitor health vital statistics, including body temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate. San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2022 Four were approved, none since 2006, according to to the court system records and the state’s office of vital statistics. James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Mar. 2022 See All Example Sentences for vital statistics

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vital statistics was circa 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Vital statistics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vital%20statistics. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

vital statistics

plural noun
: statistics about births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease

Medical Definition

vital statistics

noun plural
vital sta·​tis·​tics -stə-ˈtis-tiks How to pronounce vital statistics (audio)
: statistics relating to births, deaths, marriages, health, and disease

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