Latin quote · Truth
Bona fide
“In good faith.”
Roman legal term
Translation
What does “Bona fide” mean?
Bona fide translates as “In good faith.”
It describes acts done honestly and sincerely, without intent to deceive. Today a bona fide buyer is one who paid fairly without knowing of any problem, and in everyday English a bona fide expert is a genuine one.
Origin
The story behind it
Good faith (bona fides) was a central idea in Roman contract law, and the ablative phrase bona fide passed into the legal and everyday vocabulary of many European languages.
When to use it
How to use “Bona fide”
A familiar phrase for a contract clause, or for a certificate that vouches someone is the real thing.
- Latin
- Bona fide
- English
- In good faith.
- Source
- Roman legal term
- Era
- Legal Latin
- Theme
- Truth
Keep reading
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Bona fides contraria est fraudi et dolo
Good faith is the opposite of fraud and deceit.
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Veritas, fides, sapientia
Truth, faith, wisdom.
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