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

In March, Gordon requested all provenance documents — the recorded ownership history of a piece of art — for Cambodian objects at the Norton Simon and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Since the vats were never emptied completely, there’s some pretty old rum in the blend, of unknown provenance. —Tony Sachs, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024

There were other questions aside from the mural’s provenance. —Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024

Prosecutors had argued the men knew the pages had a dubious chain of ownership but peddled them anyway, scheming to fabricate a provenance that would pass muster with auction houses and stave off demands to return the documents to Henley. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2024

At the same time, the auction house has not released the seller’s identity or any information about the shield’s provenance after 1868. —Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Mar. 2024

Immediate and infallible authentication of a security or certificate, as well as its provenance. —Dimitri Raziev, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

Ukraine will confront the same obstacles faced by sovereign nations and the families of Holocaust victims, such as tracing the provenance of property back to Ukraine. —Howard N. Spiegler, Fortune Europe, 23 Feb. 2024

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office claims the three made up ever-changing stories for the provenance of the documents. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024

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