given

American  

[giv-uhn] / ˈgɪv ən /

verb

1. past participle of give.

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adjective

1. stated, fixed, or specified.

   at a given time.

2. addicted or disposed (often followed byto ).

   given to making snide remarks.

3. bestowed as a gift; conferred.

4. assigned as a basis of calculation, reasoning, etc..

   Given A and B, C follows.

5. Mathematics. known or independently determined.

   a given magnitude.

6. (on official documents) executed and delivered as of the date shown.

noun

1. an established fact, condition, factor, etc.

given British  

/ ˈɡɪvən /

verb

1. the past participle of give

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adjective

1. tending (to); inclined or addicted (to)

2. specific or previously stated

3. assumed as a premise

4. maths known or determined independently

   a given volume

5. (on official documents) issued or executed, as on a stated date

noun

1. an assumed fact

2. philosophy the supposed raw data of experience See also sense datum

Other Word Forms

• self-given
  adjective
• ungiven
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of given

First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective

Explanation

A given is some detail or fact that is known to be true. Your mother might say, "It's a given that I'll always love you, no matter how annoying you are." Something's a given if it's an established situation that you're sure of. It's a given that a first class airplane ticket will cost a lot more than a seat in coach, and it's also a given that the earth orbits the sun. It can also be an adjective: "After considering the given facts, mark an answer on the multiple-choice test." Given comes from the verb give, which has an Old English root of giefan, "to bestow, allot, or commit."

Example Sentences

Given how they tease and finish each other’s sentences, it sure feels that way.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

Given the vast numbers of AI models being deployed, “you need about a hundred times more compute than we have today” and a lot more chips, he said.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Given their flying start to the season, do you think it's too early to say the title is Mercedes' to lose, or have they simply adapted to the new regulations better than everyone else?

From BBC • May 26, 2026

"Given that turbulence is known to be a destructive agent, the question remains, how does it create a constructive, large-scale field?"

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

Given time, legions of men are drawn into the game, both ebony and ivory: the Congo’s CIA station chief, the National Security Council, even the President of the United States.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver