provenance

[ prov-uh-nuh ns, -nahns ]

/ ˈprɒv ə nəns, -ˌnɑns /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR provenance ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

place or source of origin: The provenance of the ancient manuscript has never been determined.

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Origin of provenance

1860–65; < French, derivative of provenant, present participle of provenir < Latin prōvenīre to come forth; see pro-¹, convene, -ant

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH provenance

provenance province

Words nearby provenance

prov., provascular tissue, prove, prove out, proven, provenance, provence, provence rose, provender, provenience, proventil

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for provenance

Today, a lack of provenance often means one of two things: an artifact is forged or an artifact was illegally acquired.
Dismembering History: The Shady Online Trade in Ancient Texts|Candida Moss|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“All good dealers and collectors look into provenance,” says Loll.
Why eBay Is an Art Forger’s Paradise|Lizzie Crocker|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The new Sappho papyrus probably came from Egypt and perhaps from Oxyrynchus, but its provenance may never be known.
Scholars Discover New Poems from Ancient Greek Poetess Sappho|James Romm|January 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The company prides itself on the provenance of its blades, which, while cheap, are hardly commodities.
After 100 Years, the Shaving Industry Is Finally being Disrupted|Daniel Gross|January 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The provenance of rock roll I had traced as far back as the record store.
The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis|Richard Ben Cramer|January 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
About the provenance of any particular piece it is generally possible to say something vague; about dates we know next to nothing.
Since Czanne|Clive Bell
If the forms of a work are significant its provenance is irrelevant.
Art|Clive Bell
The legendary matter, too, has but few traces of Jewish provenance, and is clearly not due to Jewish redaction.
The myth of the Jewish menace in world affairs|Lucien Wolf
As well make a point of recalling the provenance of any little thing that had happened in this his present life.
Somehow Good|William de Morgan
A somewhat unusual form of this type is in the Vienna museum, but its provenance seems unknown.
The Bronze Age and the Celtic World|Harold Peake

British Dictionary definitions for provenance

provenance

mainly US provenience (prəʊˈviːnɪəns)

/ (ˈprɒvɪnəns) /

noun

a place of origin, esp that of a work of art or archaeological specimen

Word Origin for provenance

C19: from French, from provenir, from Latin prōvenīre to originate, from venīre to come

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

provenance

noun

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Origin of provenance

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH provenance

Words nearby provenance

Words related to provenance

Example sentences from the Web for provenance

British Dictionary definitions for provenance

mainly US provenience (prəʊˈviːnɪəns)

noun

Word Origin for provenance