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

Derived Forms

• ungiven
  adjective
• self-given
  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

Some schools also could take a more conservative approach to valuation and intentionally undervalue their positions given that pre-IPO investors are often restricted from selling their shares for a period after a company goes public.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

She later appeared in the Sport, but said she was often given the worst jobs including once working on the paper's phone-in lines.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

“We likely see enough progress to keep the foundry alive, with a clear ability to beat-and-raise near term given server CPU shortages.”

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Some of the dead-on precision of Nilles’ attack was lost by out-of-sync video screens, an annoying glitch that needs attention given her monster performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

It was the first time since the conversation began that I was addressed directly, and I tried to remember back to the very first order I was given.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse