provenance
provenance — noun
1. the documented source or earliest known location where a valuable object — such
the documented source or earliest known location where a valuable object — such as a painting, antique, or historical document — was created or first existed, often including a record of its later owners.
Ritu donated her grandmother's jewellery to the museum, along with records of its provenance.
donation context: providing provenance records with objects
Marco asked the dealer to show him the provenance of the antique vase before agreeing to buy it.
art market: requesting provenance before purchase
Ilan verified the manuscript's provenance by comparing its handwriting with other documents from the same period.
The provenance of those fossils places their origin in the late Jurassic period, according to Yasmin's research.
Emre could not sell the sculpture because he could not confirm its provenance.
- origin
broader and more common; can apply to people, ideas, and natural things
- source
emphasises where something starts; used for both concrete and abstract origins
- derivation
more technical, often used for words, names, or chemical substances
用法筆記
Frequently used in the art, antiques, and museum worlds. Provenance can cover both the place of creation and the chain of ownership. Often paired with verbs such as trace, verify, confirm, or document.