Bona fide means "in good faith" in Latin. When applied to business deals and the like, it stresses the absence of fraud or deception. A bona fide sale of securities is an entirely aboveboard transaction. Outside of business and law, bona fide implies mere sincerity and earnestness.

Bona fide: A Latin phrase that literally means "in good faith" and generally means good intentions and complete absence of deceit.