ge·ner·ic
jə-ˈner-ik 
-ˈne-rik
1
a
: relating to or characteristic of a whole group or class : general
"Romantic comedy" is the generic term for such films.
b
: not being or having a particular brand name
generic drugs
c
: having no particularly distinctive quality or application
generic restaurants
2
: relating to or having the rank of a biological genus
genericness
noun
: a product (such as a drug) that does not have a brand name
Examples of generic in a Sentence
Adjective
“Flu” is sometimes used as a generic term for any illness caused by a virus.
a love of big things—big cars, big meals—seems to be a generic trait of the American people
Noun
You can substitute generics for brand-name drugs on this health plan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Gilead has negotiated royalty-free licensing deals with six generic manufacturers to manufacture lenacapavir for prevention for 120 low- and middle-income countries.
—Alice Park, Time, 18 June 2025
Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 16 June 2025
In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allowed Medicare to negotiate the price of 10 costly medications without a generic; no GLP-1 RA is on this list.
—Lipi Roy, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for generic
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Not generic observations everyone agrees with, but the perspectives that might make some people uncomfortable while making others feel deeply understood.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Gilead has negotiated royalty-free licensing deals with six generic manufacturers to manufacture lenacapavir for prevention for 120 low- and middle-income countries.
—Alice Park, Time, 18 June 2025
Noun
These off-brand obesity drug alternatives aren't generics but have been available for several years.
—Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 16 June 2025
In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allowed Medicare to negotiate the price of 10 costly medications without a generic; no GLP-1 RA is on this list.
—Lipi Roy, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for generic
Cite this Entry
“Generic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generic. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
generic
1 of 2 adjective
ge·ner·ic
jə-ˈner-ik
1
: not protected by trademark registration : nonproprietary
nylon and aspirin are generic names
—used especially in trademark law
2
: relating to or having the rank of a biological genus
generic
2 of 2 noun
: a generic drug
—usually used in plural
Legal Definition
generic
adjective
ge·ner·ic
jə-ˈner-ik
1
: common or descriptive and not entitled to trademark protection : nonproprietary
the generic name of a drug
2
: having a nonproprietary name
generic drugs
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