bona fide
/ˌbəʊnə ˈfʌɪdi
/adjective
Genuine; real: she was a bona fide expert...
- These people are permitted into the country because the visa stamp in their passports is legal and bona fide.
- To support Britain's decision, he gave out asylum statistics which clearly indicate that hundreds applying for asylum status were not bona fide.
- ‘The horse is a bona fide star,’ says the commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
Synonyms
authentic, genuine, real, true, actual, sterling, sound, legal, legitimate, lawful, valid, unadulterated, unalloyed, proper, straight, fair and square
informal honest-to-goodness, legit, pukka, on the level, the real McCoy
adverb chiefly Law
Without intention to deceive: the court will assume that they have acted bona fide...
- It would seem to me, however, that this does not derogate from the requirement that the decision of the Directors must be made bona fide.
- Clearly they must perform that function honestly and bona fide.
- There is no objection to a party purchasing a judgment for the purpose of using it as a set-off if this be done bona fide.
Origin
Latin, literally 'with good faith', ablative singular of bona fides.