deaccession

or de-ac·ces·sion

[ dee-ak-sesh-uhn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to sell (a work of art) from a museum's or gallery's collections, especially with a view to acquiring funds for the purchase of other works.

verb (used without object)

1. to deaccession a work of art from a museum's or gallery's collections.

noun

1. a deaccessioned work of art.

Word History and Origins

Origin of deaccession¹

First recorded in 1970–75; de- + accession