provenance

noun

prov·​e·​nance ˈpräv-nən(t)s How to pronounce provenance (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And in a hearing held Sunday before a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Circuit Judge Gabriel Sanchez questioned both its accuracy and provenance. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Sanchez repeatedly questioned the provenance of the administration’s list, asking which third parties were involved in providing the data. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026 The statue is thought to have come from Dalmatia, per a provenance supplied by Sotheby’s, which last sold the work in 2010 to an Austrian collector. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 But the clean provenance and their New York highlife has never appeased Pooh partisans who think Fifth Avenue is much too far from the Hundred Acre Wood. — Steve Hendrix The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for provenance

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of provenance was in 1785

Browse Nearby Words

provedore
provenance
Provençal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Provenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provenance. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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