1. (n. pl.) Organs that are necessary for life; more especially, the heart, lungs, and brain.

2. (n. pl.) Fig.: The part essential to the life or health of anything; as, the vitals of a state.

abdomen anus appendix blind gut bosom bowels brain breast cecum center center of life colon core deepest recesses duodenum endocardium entrails esoteric reality foregut giblets gizzard guts heart heart of hearts hindgut inmost heart inmost soul innards inner inner landscape inner life inner man inner mechanism inner nature inner recess inner self inside insides interior interior man intern internal internals intestine intrados inward inwards jejunum kidney kishkes large intestine liver liver and lights lung midgut nerve center penetralia perineum pump pylorus quick recesses rectum secret heart secret place secret places small intestine soul spirit spleen stomach ticker tripes true being true inwardness vermiform appendix viscera vital center vital principle works