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

After the sale, Lucius Elliot, the house’s head of contemporary marquee sales, indicated that provenance was a key contributor to the success of the Gladstone and Luxembourg lots. —Robb Report, 18 May 2025

Insiders reveal the passion and provenance behind the city’s most prestigious wine and sake programs. —Melinda Sheckells, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Acquaintances from his Mount Vernon days have suggested other provenances, such as Mr. Combs puffing out his chest to enhance his girth. —Ben Sisario, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Unusual provenance Fishermen who find fossils among their catch often sell their finds to antique shops, where collectors pick them up, said study coauthor Chun-Hsiang Chang, a curator of paleontology at Taiwan’s National Museum of Natural Science. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 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