Given

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Given

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

adjective, preposition, noun, and past participle

Pronunciation

GIV-un  /ˈɡɪv(ə)n/

Definition

As a past participle: already provided or transferred. As an adjective: specified, stated, or assumed for the purpose of argument. As a preposition: taking into account, considering. As a noun: an established fact or assumption.

Plain meaning

Given means already provided (the answer was given), assumed as true (a given assumption), or considering (given the circumstances). As a noun, a given is something taken for granted.

Register

Neutral across all uses. The prepositional use — given that, given the circumstances — is common in formal writing. The noun use — it's a given — is informal and colloquial. The adjective use — a given time, a given place — is standard in academic and legal writing.