phrase
Latin
Bona Fide
/ˌboʊnə ˈfaɪdi/ or /ˌboʊnə ˈfaɪd/
lit. “in good faith”
Genuine, authentic, real.
Origin
Originally a legal term in Roman law for actions taken sincerely, without intent to deceive. It traveled into English law and from there into everyday speech.
Modern usage
Used as an adjective to vouch for something's authenticity. 'A bona fide expert,' 'a bona fide hit.' Often misspelled as 'bonafide.'
In the wild
She's a bona fide rock star now.— music journalism
Tags
authenticity
legal