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Synonyms

vital statistics

American  

plural noun

  1. statistics concerning human life or the conditions affecting human life and the maintenance of population.

  2. Facetious. the measurements of a woman's figure, especially the bust, waist, and hips.


vital statistics British  

plural noun

  1. quantitative data concerning human life or the conditions and aspects affecting it, such as the death rate

  2. informal the measurements of a woman's bust, waist, and hips

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of vital statistics

1830–40; 1940–45 vital statistics for def. 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And states employ a variety of mechanisms to verify voters’ identities against databases such as the Social Security Administration, state departments of motor vehicles, state bureaus of vital statistics or health departments, and the U.S.

From Slate • Nov. 4, 2024

Both state orders direct schools and other state agencies to use those definitions when collecting vital statistics, such as data on crime and discrimination.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2023

Recording their vital statistics helps zookeepers monitor animals' health and wellbeing.

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2023

He repeatedly revisits his study sites, and, like a doctor taking vital statistics, records signs of both life and death, entering data into a field computer.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2023

The California data included not only each baby’s vital statistics but information about the mother’s level of education, in come, and, most significantly, her own date of birth.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

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