bona fide

WOTD – 20 April 2007    

See also bonâ fide

English

Alternative forms

• bonâ fide

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˌbəʊ.nəˈfaɪ.di/
• (US) IPA: /ˌboʊnəˈfaɪdi/, /ˈboʊnə.faɪd/, /ˈboʊnəˌfiːdeɪ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  ,

  Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Usage notes

The pronunciation IPA: /ˈboʊnə.faɪd/, although very widespread (especially in the US), is regarded by some as incorrect.

Etymology

From the Latin bonā fidē (“in good faith”) which is the ablative of bona fidēs (“good faith”).

Adjective

bona fide (not comparable)

1. In good faith.

   Although he failed, the prime minister made a bona fide attempt to repair the nation's damaged economy.

2. Genuine; not counterfeit.

   This is a bona fide Roman coin.

   • 2000, O Brother Where Art Thou? (movie):

     Ulysses Everett McGill: I am the only daddy you got! I’m the damn pater familias!

     Wharvey Gal: But you ain’t bona fide!

Usage notes

Sometimes misspelled as *bonafied, by incorrectly analyzing as the past tense of assumed *bonafy.

Synonyms

• (done in good faith): sincere
• (genuine): authentic, genuine

Antonyms

• (done in good faith): mala fide

Translations

done in good faith

• Dutch: oprecht (nl)
• Finnish: vilpitön (fi)
• German: auf Treu und Glauben (de)
• Icelandic: gerður í góðri trú
• Japanese: 善意の (ぜんいの, zen'i-no)

• Russian: добросовестный (ru) (dobrosóvestnyj) 
• Slovak: dobre myslený (sk)
• Spanish: de buena fe (es)
• Turkish: iyi niyetle (tr), samimiyetle (tr)

genuine

• Dutch: echt (nl)
• Finnish: aito (fi)
• Icelandic: ósvikinn

• Japanese: 本物の (ほんものの, honmo-no), 真実の (しんじつの, shinjitsu-no)
• Russian: настоящий (ru) (nastojáščij) 
• Slovak: pravý (sk)

See also

• bona fides
• mala fide