Bona Fide
/ˌboʊ.nə ˈfaɪ.di/noun
Genuine, sincere, or undertaken in good faith.
Did you know?In Roman legal and moral language, fides meant trustworthiness or faith kept between people, gods, and the state—not merely private belief.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰuH- / *dʰeh₁-
“Proposed ancestral roots associated with being or placing/setting; the precise prehistory of Latin bonus is debated.”
Ancient Latin
Latin
bonus
“Good, excellent, morally worthy; the source of bona, its feminine form.”
Ancient Latin
Latin
fides
“Trust, confidence, faithfulness, or a pledge kept.”
Classical Latin
Latin
bona fides
“Good faith; honest intention or trustworthy conduct.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
bona fide
“In good faith; a legal phrase used to describe honest dealing.”
16th Century
English
bona fide
“Adopted into English legal usage, initially as a Latin adverbial phrase meaning genuinely or in good faith.”
Modern English
English
bona fide
“Authentic, genuine, or legitimate; also used as a noun for a qualification or credential establishing authenticity.”