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 of generic

Adjective

• general
• overall
• common
• 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

The spectacle produced by the war in Iran has been, for distant viewers, comparatively familiar, almost generic. —Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026

YouTube did get a new, more generic visualizer that simply shows the cover art for the single, which is coming out as a 7-inch vinyl in April for Record Store Day. —Chris Willman, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026

Noun

Despite the hype, many of the medicines on TrumpRx include brand-name drugs that patients can find cheaper elsewhere — as generics. —Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 29 Mar. 2026

Those generics are also widely available through other discount sites or at local pharmacies. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026

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