provenance
noun
prov·e·nance ˈpräv-nən(t)s 
ˈprä-və-ˌnän(t)s
1
: origin, source
2
: the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art or literature
Example Sentences
Has anyone traced the provenances of these paintings? The artifact is of unknown provenance.
Recent Examples on the Web The provenance of Belichick possibly courting a pink slip seems to stem from comments that Patriots owner Robert Kraft made at the NFL owners meetings in March. 
Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 The Verizon operator didn’t know the provenance of the hold music, and emails to the phone company went unanswered. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2022 Many luxury brands have partnered with blockchain technology to track the provenance of products and materials from manufacture to delivery. Dennis Mitzner, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Because of their provenance, the watches are expected to fetch a pretty hefty sum at auction. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2022 It’s an art form wrapped in myth and mythology, from the otherworldly provenance of Robert Johnson’s sublime gifts to Afro-Christian notions of evil and the poignant folklore found in the songs of Mississippi John Hurt. Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 31 July 2022 Thanks to a loophole in Scottish law, anyone can register a company in Scotland without having to reveal the identity of its owners or the provenance of its funds. Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 Determining the provenance of a grain shipment is not straightforward, but one indication might be if Russia were selling it at a heavy discount, one American official said. New York Times, 5 June 2022 The group recently spent an afternoon at each location, studying documents and seeking to ascertain the provenance of all artifacts in the exhibit. Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2022 See More
Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 The Verizon operator didn’t know the provenance of the hold music, and emails to the phone company went unanswered. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2022 Many luxury brands have partnered with blockchain technology to track the provenance of products and materials from manufacture to delivery. Dennis Mitzner, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Because of their provenance, the watches are expected to fetch a pretty hefty sum at auction. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2022 It’s an art form wrapped in myth and mythology, from the otherworldly provenance of Robert Johnson’s sublime gifts to Afro-Christian notions of evil and the poignant folklore found in the songs of Mississippi John Hurt. Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 31 July 2022 Thanks to a loophole in Scottish law, anyone can register a company in Scotland without having to reveal the identity of its owners or the provenance of its funds. Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 Determining the provenance of a grain shipment is not straightforward, but one indication might be if Russia were selling it at a heavy discount, one American official said. New York Times, 5 June 2022 The group recently spent an afternoon at each location, studying documents and seeking to ascertain the provenance of all artifacts in the exhibit. Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2022 See More 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