provenance — the place of origin or earliest known history of something
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the place of origin or earliest known history of something
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈprɑːvənəns/
Example Sentences
- The art dealer couldn't prove the provenance of the Mona Lisa replica he was selling.
- My grandmother's secret recipe has a mysterious provenance - nobody knows where she got it from!
- The diamond's provenance was traced back to a 16th-century royal collection.
provenance
NOUN[/ˈprɑːvənəns/]
the place of origin or earliest known history of something

the place of origin or earliest known history of something

Tracing provenance from renaissance brings vengeance to truth.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Latin provenire, meaning 'to come forth' or 'to emerge'. The word developed to denote the origin and history of an object or artwork as it has passed forward through time, ultimately referring to the documented source and ownership history of a work.
Breakdown
pro- (forward) + venire (to come) + -ance (state or condition), literally 'the state of coming forward', referring to the traceable origin and historical journey of an object.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The art dealer couldn't prove the provenance of the Mona Lisa replica he was selling.”
“My grandmother's secret recipe has a mysterious provenance - nobody knows where she got it from!”
“The diamond's provenance was traced back to a 16th-century royal collection.”
“The museum's new director spent months investigating the suspicious provenance of several artifacts.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.