generic
[juh-ner-ik]
- of, applicable to, or referring to all the members of a genus, class, group, or kind; general.
- 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.
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- a generic term.
- 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).
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Origin of generic
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
universalsweepingcomprehensiveblanketcollectiveinclusivewideall-encompassingnonexclusiveExamples from the Web for generic
Contemporary Examples
But here we are at a generic hotel suite in downtown Toronto.
Adam Sandler Talks Getting Fired From ‘SNL,’ Bad Reviews, and His Desire to Play a VillainMarlow Stern
September 12, 2014
Ketorolac, a generic, is considered a relatively nontoxic drug.
Onstage, a trio of dancers in elaborate underwear sway lazily to generic synth beats.
Polls at that time found that the public favored Democrats 50% to 42% over Republicans in generic Congressional match ups.
The latest Quinnipiac and Pew polls show Democrats with a 9-point generic edge, twice what it was in late August.
Historical Examples
It grows in the form of a spathula, from which it receives its generic name.
The Mushroom, Edible and OtherwiseM. E. Hard
Both the generic and specific names refer to its many mouths.
The Mushroom, Edible and OtherwiseM. E. Hard
We speak of man in the generic sense, as including women also.
Aims and Aids for Girls and Young WomenGeorge Sumner Weaver
There has been something both ideal and generic in American life.
The Psychology of NationsG.E. Partridge
Then the generic and specific distinctions were very easy to establish.
Lamarck, the Founder of EvolutionAlpheus Spring Packard
generic
generical
- applicable or referring to a whole class or group; general
- biology of, relating to, or belonging to a genusthe generic name
- denoting the nonproprietary name of a drug, food product, etc
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- a drug, food product, etc that does not have a trademark
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Word Origin
C17: from French; see genus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for generic
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
generic
(jə-nĕr′ĭk)- Of or relating to a genus.
- Relating to or descriptive of an entire group or class; general.
- Of or relating to a drug sold under or identified by its official nonproprietary or chemical name.
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- A drug sold under its generic name.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.