known quantity
noun
Mathematics. a quantity whose value is given: in algebra, frequently represented by a letter from the first part of the alphabet, as a, b, or c.
any factor, circumstance, etc., that is already accepted or familiar: Her honesty is a known quantity.
Nearby words
knowledge worker, knowledge-based system, knowledgeable, knowles, known, known quantity, knowsley, knox, knox, fort, knox, frank, knox, henry
Origin of known quantity
First recorded in 1975–80
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019