Word of the Day

: February 3, 2022

bona fides

noun boh-nuh-FYE-deez

What It Means

A person's bona fides is the evidence of their qualifications or achievements.

// The senator's bona fides as a viable presidential candidate have been called into question.

See the entry >

bona fides in Context

"Hoping to fulfill its desire for an experienced leader with MLS knowledge, Atlanta United signed free-agent midfielder Ozzie Alonso…. Alonso, 36, has made 338 appearances and his bona fides include winning four U.S. Open Cups, one MLS Cup, one Supporters' Shield, four All-Star teams and one Best XI." — Doug Roberson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 23 Dec. 2021

Did You Know?

Bona fides looks like a plural word in English, but in Latin it is a singular noun that literally means "good faith." When bona fides entered English, it at first stayed very close to its Latin use, and it also kept its singular form—for example, "a claimant whose bona fides is unquestionable." But in the 20th century, use of bona fides began to widen, and it began to appear with a plural verb in certain contexts, such as "the informant's bona fides were ascertained."