This is the 353rd most frequent French word.
étant
"Étant" means "being" in English.
Here, "étant" is used as a present participle meaning 'being', part of the expression 'étant donné' which means 'given that'.
Étant donné les circonstances, nous avons décidé d'annuler l'événement.
Given the circumstances, we decided to cancel the event.
In this sentence, "étant" functions as a present participle expressing an action or state related to the subject, here 'being surrounded'.
Elle était très heureuse, étant entourée de sa famille et de ses amis.
She was very happy, being surrounded by her family and friends.
Here, "étant" acts as a present participle emphasizing a quality or state of the subject, in this case, 'being patient'.