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bona fide ~ bona fides:

“The manager questioned the        applicant’s bona fide.” In this sentence “bona fide” (without an ‘s’) is wrongly used.  Here the word ‘bona fides’ (with an ‘s’) is required.  Care should be taken to avoid such errors.

“Bona fide” means ‘really, sincerely, in good faith’.

It is, strictly speaking, adverbial in sense, but is more often used as an adjective in such expressions as ‘bona fide enquires’, ‘a bona fide applicant’, etc.

“Bona fides” means ‘sincerity, good faith, honest intentions’,

e.g.

Her bona fides was/were unquestionable. (i.e. her intentions were real)

[Some grammarians use a singular verb after this noun ‘bona fides’; some others prefer a plural verb.]

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