provenience

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UK/pɹə(ʊ)ˈviːni.ən(t)s/UK/pɹə(ʊ)ˈviːnjən(t)s/US/pɹoʊˈvini.ən(t)s/US/pɹoʊˈvinjən(t)s/

noun

source; findspot; origin

Similar
birthplacecradleplace of originprovenance
OriginLatin prōveniēns ← Proto-Italic *gʷəniō ← Proto-Indo-European *gʷm̥yéti →
RareScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounprovenience (plural proveniences)

plural proveniences

  1. archaeologysource; findspot; origin
  2. more loosely; outside of archaeology; more loosely; outside of archaeologyprovenance, history

Synonyms & antonyms

nounwhere something originated or was nurtured in its early existence

Similar
birthplacecradleplace of originprovenance
Broader
beginningoriginroot
Also see
birthplacecradleprovenance

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  4. Proto-Indo-European*pro-
  5. Proto-Italic*pro-
  6. Latinprō-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*gʷem-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*gʷm̥yéti
  9. Proto-Italic*gʷəniō
  10. Latinveniō
  11. Latinprōveniō
  12. Latinprōveniēns
  13. Englishprovenience

Borrowed from Latin prōveniēns, present participle of prōvenīre (“to come up”); compare provene, provenient, and provenance.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish alkuperä, provenienssi
  • alkuperäsource, origin
  • provenienssisource, origin
Russian исто́чник
  • исто́чник (istóčnik)source, origin
Cite this entry
APA

provenience. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/provenience

MLA

“provenience.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/provenience. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “provenience,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/provenience.

Source: provenience on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.