provenance
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of provenance
1860–65; < French, derivative of provenant, present participle of provenir < Latin prōvenīre to come forth; see pro- 1, convene, -ant
Explanation
Where something comes from is its provenance. If a style of music originated in the capital of Rhode Island, you could say that its provenance was Providence. Some items of foreign provenance are taxed more heavily than domestic products. If you claim that an artwork put up for sale was stolen from your family's art collection, an investigation may be ordered to resolve issues of provenance. In this case, provenance refers to who has the legal right to the specific work of art, or to whom it belongs.
Vocabulary lists containing provenance
Hidden Figures
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Unbroken
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Musty Dusty Words for National Old Stuff Day
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unlike the other artifacts with no traceable provenance, these short stories are bad.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
Sotheby's says the piece's pristine condition and royal provenance is expected to attract keen interest from museums and collectors, with the piece coming to the market at an estimate of £1.5-2.5m.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
He also saw “pre-project metadata, hidden defined names, institutional data-terminal markers, real lender or counterparty names, irregular numeric precision, and other features that raised serious provenance questions,” the suit said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
He said he was also able to use information on the label to confirm its provenance.
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
Researchers must reckon their ages by ascertaining the age of the ground they are found in, which in turn requires meticulously documenting their provenance.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
