vital signs

American  

plural noun

1. essential body functions, comprising pulse rate, body temperature, and respiration, used as a measure of health or physical condition.

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vital signs British  

plural noun

1. med indications that a person is still alive. Vital signs include a heartbeat, a pulse that can be felt, breathing, and body temperature

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vital signs Scientific  

1. The pulse rate, temperature, respiratory rate, and usually blood pressure of an individual.

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vital signs Cultural  

1. The pulse rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and rate of respiration of a person. The vital signs are usually measured to obtain a quick evaluation of the person's general physical condition.

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Etymology

Origin of vital signs

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Clinicians wearing personal protective equipment check people’s temperatures and vital signs throughout the day.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

The head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service, compared it to a patient whose vital signs were in decline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Beyond these behavioral improvements, the compound proved non-toxic in both hippocampal cell cultures and the animals themselves, whose vital signs were closely followed throughout the experiments.

From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2025

Different eras have deemed it a measure of divine anger or human sin, and more recently, as one of earth’s vital signs.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2025

The president stayed good-natured despite enduring the painful changes of his wound dressing, the constant monitoring of his vital signs, and the boredom of lying helpless in bed.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow