Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for generic on Thesaurus.com adjective Also ge·ner·i·cal. 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. Show More
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 ). Show More
Origin of generic 1670–80; <
Latin gener- (see
gender1 ) +
-ic Related forms ge·ner·i·cal·ly , adverb ge·ner·i·cal·ness , noun non·ge·ner·ic , adjective non·ge·ner·i·cal , adjective non·ge·ner·i·cal·ly , adverb pseu·do·ge·ner·ic , adjective pseu·do·ge·ner·i·cal , adjective pseu·do·ge·ner·i·cal·ly , adverb su·per·ge·ner·ic , adjective su·per·ge·ner·i·cal·ly , adverb un·ge·ner·ic , adjective un·ge·ner·i·cal , adjective un·ge·ner·i·cal·ly , adverb Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for generic Contemporary Examples of generic But here we are at a generic hotel suite in downtown Toronto.
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 of generic It grows in the form of a spathula, from which it receives its generic name.
Both the generic and specific names refer to its many mouths.
We speak of man in the generic sense, as including women also.
There has been something both ideal and generic in American life.
Then the generic and specific distinctions were very easy to establish.
British Dictionary definitions for generic 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 Show More
a drug, food product, etc that does not have a trademark Show More
Derived Forms generically , adverb Word Origin for generic 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 adj. 1670s, "belonging to a large group of objects," formed in English from Latin gener- , stem of genus "kind" (see genus ) + -ic . Sense of "not special, not brand-name; in plain, cheap packaging," of groceries, etc., is from 1977.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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. Show More
A drug sold under its generic name. Show More
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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