good faith

The story

1. Latin · derived frombona fidēs“good faith”
2. Old French · calque ofbonne foy
3. Middle French · calque ofbonne foy
4. Anglo-Norman · calque ofbone fei
5. English todaygood faith

Calque of Anglo-Norman bone fei, Middle French bonne foy and Old French bonne foy, en bone fei (“loyally, with honesty, with sincere intention”) (modern French bonne foi (“good faith”), de bonne foi (“in good faith, in earnest”)), from Latin bona fidēs (“good faith”).

First known use, by meaning

• from between 1890 and 1895 Good, honest intentions.