bona fide

or bona-fide

[boh-nuh fahyd, bon-uh; boh-nuh fahy-dee]

See more synonyms for bona fide on Thesaurus.com

adjective

made, done, presented, etc., in good faith; without deception or fraud: a bona fide statement of intent to sell.
authentic; true: a bona fide sample of Lincoln's handwriting.

Origin of bona fide

First recorded in 1935–45, bona fide is from the Latin word bonā fidē

Can be confusedbona fide bona fides (see usage note at bona fides)

Synonyms for bona fide

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1. honest, sincere; lawful, legal. 2. genuine.

Antonyms for bona fide

spurious, deceitful, false.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for bona fide

genuine, legitimate, authentic, authoritative, credible, natural, official, original, pure, real, rightful, straight, unquestionable, veritable, card-carrying, actual, honest, kosher, valid, true

Examples from the Web for bona fide

Historical Examples of bona fide

Sometimes they were written by an immigrant, a bona-fide worker.
Working With the Working Woman
Cornelia Stratton Parker
Had it been a trick of his senses or a bona-fide apparition?
The Bell-Ringer of Angel's and Other Stories
Bret Harte
I think what he meant was that he'd like it to look like a bona-fide, voluntary sale.
Otherwise Phyllis
Meredith Nicholson
Why should not a bona-fide brother go to see his only sister?
The Girls of St. Wode's
L. T. Meade
Here at last was a bona-fide lower-berther who might be induced to enlighten me.
The Affable Stranger
Peter McArthur

British Dictionary definitions for bona fide

bona fide

adjective (ˈbəʊnə ˈfaɪdɪ)

real or genuinea bona fide manuscript
undertaken in good faitha bona fide agreement

noun (ˈbɔːnə fɑɪd)

Irish informal a public house licensed to remain open after normal hours to serve bona fide travellers

Word Origin for bona fide

C16: from Latin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bona fide

1540s, Latin, literally "in good faith," ablative of bona fides "good faith" (see faith). Originally used as an adverb, later (18c.) also as an adjective. The opposite is mala fide.

bona fide in Culture

bona fide

[(boh-nuh feyed, boh-nuh feye-dee, bon-uh feyed)]

Genuine: “The offer was a bona fide business opportunity: they really meant to carry it through.” From Latin, meaning “in good faith.”