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bona fide

bona fide

25 5.9
Being real and honest, not fake
  • adjective
  • /ˌboʊnə ˈfaɪdeɪ/
  • Formal
translation icon : legítimo
  • The museum showcases a collection of bona fide artifacts from the ancient civilization.
  • bona fide qualifications
  • bona fide purpose
  • bona fide member

He's an outdoorsman and he is a bona fide gun man.

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Examples

  • Teachers inevitably establish the closest bonds with the students, and many become bona fide role models for students.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Importantly, the women of the Georgia WCTU attended as bona fide members on an equal standing with the male delegates.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Yeah, the new song's a bona fide hit.

  • As you can see, a bona fide war hero.

  • I guess that makes me a bona fide member of the human race.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • I believed that I was a bona fide member of Charlie Company.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • This is what we call a bona fide singles party.

  • It's nothing short of a bona fide miracle.

  • Huong and Hank were the only two men Rob knew who were bona fide Vietnam veterans.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • This is a bona fide supercar, one of the best on sale today, one of the craziest, fastest cars on the market.

Synonyms

authentic
vsbona fide
218 3.8

Something that is real and trustworthy, not a fake

is broader, also meaning sincere or done in good faith
veritable
vsbona fide
37 7.4

Being really true or real to make a description stronger

includes that reality but also highlights acting in good faith
kosher
vsbona fide
  • Informal
18 5.8

Looks proper and allowed because it follows rules or standards

focuses more on honest, sincere intent rather than conformity to rules
honest-to-goodness
vsbona fide
  • Informal
6 7.7

Real and not fake

is similar but is used in more formal or neutral contexts
100 percent genuine
vsbona fide
1 2.8

Completely real and not fake

adds a sense of sincerity or honest intent beyond plain reality
legit
vsbona fide
  • Informal
1 8.5

To say that something is really true or serious

is the standard term used for sincere or lawful reality
unquestionable
vsbona fide
1 4.4

Clearly real, not fake

allows for both being real and being acted on in good faith
verified
vsbona fide
1 3.9

Shown to be true or correct after checking

can be genuine without needing formal proof or examination
pure quill
vsbona fide
9.9

Completely real and honest

focuses more on honest intent and not being fake
unfalsified
vsbona fide
6.1

Still in its original state and not changed or forged

is about being real and done honestly rather than only untampered
authenticated
vsbona fide
  • Specialized
5.0

Shown to be real by official checks

may be real and sincere even without formal official proof
validated
vsbona fide
  • Formal
4.2

Officially checked and accepted as correct or legal

covers genuine intent or reality without requiring legal validation
attested
vsbona fide
6.0

Proven to be real by official records or clear evidence

also covers honest intent, not only proof-based recognition

Antonyms

833 1.8

Not real and made to look like something real

80 6.7

Made to look like the real thing to trick people

How Genuine

bona fide
  • Formal
25 5.9
fake
833 1.8

Surface Forms

bona fide positive

Morphology

bona + fide

Bona fide is a Latin loan phrase whose parts ('bona', 'fide') are not productive English words and carry no immediate meaning for a typical B1 learner; the adjective meaning 'genuine, in good faith' cannot be derived from the surface forms in English. Although the phrase has cognates in legal and Romance-language contexts, its meaning is idiomatic for learners without knowledge of Latin roots, so it is not transparently compositional.

Etymology

Bona fide comes from Latin words bona meaning 'good' and fide meaning 'faith' or 'trust', and it was used in law when someone acted honestly. So, calling something bona fide gives the image of it being 'genuine' and not fake.