provenance

noun

prov·​e·​nance ˈpräv-nən(t)s 

ˈprä-və-ˌnän(t)s

1

: origin, source

2

: the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art or literature

Examples of provenance in a Sentence

Has anyone traced the provenances of these paintings?

The artifact is of unknown provenance.

Recent Examples on the Web

And in Spain, Palazzo Delle Luce, an $18 million Mediterranean-style villa featured in Netflix’s The Crown, was snapped up at auction thanks to its palatial proportions and cinematic provenance. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 June 2025

And Fine Wine: Steady Appreciation Classic cars (8.7% CAGR) and fine wine (€30 billion market) offer stability but require expertise in provenance and storage. —Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

This reflected the museum’s emphasis, which dovetails with that of the donors, on the object, not the celebrity provenance. —Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

Every single stage direction, every moment of tempo, every color of every sash, the provenance of every prop, every possible confusion is all aired out. —Adam B. Vary, Variety, 13 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from provenir to come forth, originate, from Latin provenire, from pro- forth + venire to come — more at pro-, come

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1