generic

1 of 2

adjective

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

generically

jə-ˈner-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈne-ri-

adverb

genericness noun

generic

2 of 2

noun

: a product (such as a drug) that does not have a brand name

Synonyms

Adjective

• across-the-board
• blanket
• broad-brush
• common
• general
• global
• overall
• universal

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

Adjective

That could lead to or exacerbate shortages of certain generic drugs in the U.S., such as sterile injectable drugs commonly used in hospitals. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 1 May 2025

Students who used them had a clear edge over peers who still relied only on generic career services. —Nia Bowers, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025

Noun

The steep prices of some brand-name drugs in the United States may in part owe to tactics used by pharmaceutical manufacturers to extend their monopoly pricing power and obstruct cheaper generics and biosimilars from entering the market. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025

Generic drugs make up about 90% of all U.S. prescriptions, and around 47% of those generics are made in India, which is facing a 26% tariff. —Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French générique, from Latin gener-, genus birth, kind, class

Noun

derivative of generic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for generic

• chimeric
• dimeric
• homeric
• hysteric
• numeric
• allosteric
• amphoteric
• anomeric
• atmospheric
• chromospheric
• climacteric
• congeneric

Kids Definition

generic

adjective

ge·​ner·​ic

jə-ˈner-ik

1

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a whole group or class : general

b

: not protected by a trademark registration

generic drugs

2

: of, relating to, or having the rank of a biological genus

generically

-ner-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical 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

generically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

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