Note, genuine and true (7)
I believe the answer is:
factual
'true' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'note genuine' is the wordplay.
'note' becomes 'f' (musical note).
'genuine' becomes 'actual' (synonyms).
'f'+'actual'='FACTUAL'
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for factual that I've seen before include "like a TV documentary?" , "Related to the truth" , "Relating to reality" , "Based on things known to be true" , "True to life" .)