generic
Americanadjective
-
of, applicable to, or referring to all the members of a genus, class, group, or kind; not specific; general.
- Antonyms:
- specific
-
of, relating to, or noting a genus especially in biology.
-
(of a word) applicable or referring to both men and women.
a generic pronoun.
-
not protected by trademark registration.
“Cola” and “shuttle” are generic terms.
- Synonyms:
- unbranded
-
having no distinguishing characteristics; commonplace.
There are a lot of generic interviews, and the lack of unique perspective you get from interviewers is somewhat shocking.
noun
-
something that is generic.
-
any product, as a type of food, drug, or cosmetic commonly marketed under a brand name, that is sold in a package without a brand.
-
a wine made from two or more varieties of grapes, with no one grape constituting more than half the product (distinguished from varietal).
adjective
-
applicable or referring to a whole class or group; general
-
biology of, relating to, or belonging to a genus
the generic name
-
denoting the nonproprietary name of a drug, food product, etc
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of generic
First recorded in 1670–80; from Latin gener- ( see gender 1) + -ic
Explanation
Generic refers to the members of a whole class of things — like "tissue," a generic word for any soft, thin piece of paper that's good for wiping runny noses. A generic product, whether it's a tire or donut or drug, is typical of all other products like it. There's nothing distinctive or unique about it. A generic fan looks and acts just like dozens of other fans — it doesn't spin backwards or send out sparks. Generic aspirin doesn't have a trademark, like Bayer or St. Joseph: it's just plain aspirin.
Vocabulary lists containing generic
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Uglies
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Generic competition could influence the extent to which obesity pioneers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly continue to reap a windfall, and stifle the prospects of emerging rivals.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
It has been a dramatic transformation for the Remain-voting Newark MP, once dubbed "Robert Generic" by his Tory critics for his supposedly middle-of-the-road political views.
From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026
Generic versions of lenacapavir are expected to be available from 2027 at around $40 per year in more than 100 countries, through agreements by Unitaid and the Gates Foundation with Indian pharmaceutical companies.
From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025
"Generic retirement targets — thinking you'll need exactly $1 million — is outdated"
From Salon • Jan. 25, 2025
Clothes, bedding, furniture, the pictures on the wallscreen—it had all reverted back to Generic Ugly.
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
