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.
So, the possessive title of Tina Gharavi’s film, Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, might well have been a marketing requirement, there to remind us of the story’s provenance. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 When reputation can be manufactured at scale, provenance stops being a nice-to-have. — Nirav Tolia, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 That distinctly American provenance extends throughout the exhibition. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026 Extending Zero Trust To Code Applying zero trust to code execution does not mean inserting manual review into every software path or replacing controls such as EDR, vulnerability management, SAST, SCA, SBOMs, signing or provenance. — Ken Ammon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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