Bona fide
mediumPositive toneBOH-nuh FY-dee
adjective
Definition
Genuine; real; made in good faith without fraud or deceit
Memory hook
BONA FIDE: in GOOD FAITH — genuine and authentic, the real deal.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“She presented bona fide evidence of her qualifications.”
“The collector only purchases bona fide antiques.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“She presented ______ evidence of her qualifications.”
Show answer
bona fide
Categories
GRE Tip
Bona fide is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "genuine" or "authentic" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "fraudulent".
Related GRE Words
authentic
Of undisputed origin; genuine and not counterfeit
genuine
Truly what something is said to be; authentic; sincere
veritable
Being truly or very much so; genuine
apocryphal
Of doubtful authenticity; widely circulated but probably untrue
erroneous
Wrong; incorrect; based on error
legitimate
Conforming to the law or rules; genuine; valid
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