bona fide

adjective

bo·​na fide ˈbō-nə-ˌfīd How to pronounce bona fide (audio)
ˈbä-;
ˌbō-nə-ˈfī-dē,
-ˈfī-də How to pronounce bona fide (audio)
1
: neither specious nor counterfeit : genuine
has become a bona fide celebrity
2
: made with earnest intent : sincere
a bona fide proposal
3
law : made in good faith without fraud or deceit
a bona fide offer to buy a farm

Did you know?

Bona fide means "in good faith" in Latin. When applied to business deals and the like, it stresses the absence of fraud or deception. A bona fide sale of securities is an entirely aboveboard transaction. Outside of business and law, bona fide implies mere sincerity and earnestness. A bona fide promise is one that the person has every intention of keeping. A bona fide proposal of marriage is one made by a suitor who isn't kidding around. Bona fide also has the noun form bona fides; when someone asks about someone else's bona fides, it usually means evidence of their qualifications or achievements.

Choose the Right Synonym for bona fide

authentic, genuine, bona fide mean being actually and exactly what is claimed.

authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact

an authentic account of the perilous journey

; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original.

an authentic reproduction
authentic Vietnamese cuisine

genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated

genuine piety
genuine maple syrup

; it also connotes definite origin from a source.

a genuine Mark Twain autograph

bona fide implies good faith and sincerity of intention.

a bona fide offer for the stock

Examples of bona fide in a Sentence

She has established her position as a bona fide celebrity. His latest record was a bona fide hit. They have a bona fide claim for the loss.
Recent Examples on the Web Guitarist Glenn Tipton, a bona fide metal icon known for his electrifying solos, revealed he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, and a relative newcomer to the band, guitar hotshot Richie Faulkner, nearly died onstage playing guitar in 2021 when his aorta ruptured. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 The massive debt burden developers took on to pay for billions in new construction came back to bite them during the pandemic, which spiraled into a bona fide crisis. Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 Retro Sneakers Each season, there seems to be one bona fide sneaker star that trumps all others—think the Adidas Samba or the Wales Bonner. Laura Jackson, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 For as long as Zoey Deutch has been in the public, she's been a bona fide hair chameleon. Marci Robin, Allure, 4 Mar. 2024 Padilla’s celebration was a bona fide coronation: council members, congress members, community leaders and other power brokers all offering their congratulations. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 But Herring’s highly unorthodox decision to pass along the source’s materials to Powell, who was in Trump’s legal orbit, is yet another example of how OAN has repeatedly blurred the lines between bona fide journalism and brazen pro-Trump advocacy. Marshall Cohen, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 Industrial baking is becoming a bona fide industry in southwest Arkansas. Aaron Gettinger, arkansasonline.com, 27 Jan. 2024 By the same token, Fries blossomed into a bona fide starter at right guard, bringing the nasty streak to the offensive line that Glowinski provided to the previous Indianapolis group, albeit with better pass protection. The Indianapolis Star, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bona fide.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, literally, in good faith

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of bona fide was in 1632

Dictionary Entries Near bona fide

Cite this Entry

“Bona fide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bona%20fide. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bona fide

adjective
bo·​na fide ˈbō-nə-ˌfīd How to pronounce bona fide (audio) ˈbä-nə- How to pronounce bona fide (audio)
ˌbō-nə-ˈfīd-ē,
-ˈfīd-ə
1
: made or done in good faith
bona fide offer
2
: made with earnest intent : sincere
3
: genuine sense 1
a bona fide cowboy
Etymology

from Latin bona fide, literally, "in good faith"; bona from bonus "good" and fide from fides "faith" — related to bonus, faith

Legal Definition

1
a
: characterized by good faith and lack of fraud or deceit
a bona fide offer
b
: valid under or in compliance with the law
retirement incentives made part of a bona fide employee benefit plan
2
: made with or characterized by sincerity
a bona fide belief
3
: being real or genuine
bona fide residents
Etymology

Latin, in good faith

More from Merriam-Webster on bona fide

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