Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Language: French
Origin: provenir 'to come out, originate'

provenance

 noun
     
prov‧e‧nance [uncountable]
formal the place where something originally came from:
The provenance of the paintings is unknown.
(of) dubious/doubtful provenance (=used to suggest that something may have been stolen)
artworks of doubtful provenance
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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