Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

generic

 - 8 dictionary results

ge⋅ner⋅ic

[juh-ner-ik]
–adjective Also, ge⋅ner⋅i⋅cal.
1. of, applicable to, or referring to all the members of a genus, class, group, or kind; general.
2. of, pertaining to, or noting a genus, esp. in biology.
3. (of a word) applicable or referring to both men and women: a generic pronoun.
4. not protected by trademark registration: “Cola” and “shuttle” are generic terms.
–noun
5. a generic term.
6. 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.
7. a wine made from two or more varieties of grapes, with no one grape constituting more than half the product (distinguished from varietal ).

Origin:
1670–80; < L gener- (see gender 1 ) + -ic


ge⋅ner⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
ge⋅ner⋅i⋅cal⋅ness, noun


4. general, nonproprietary, unrestricted.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To generic
ge·ner·ic   (jə-něr'ĭk)   
adj.  
  1. Relating to or descriptive of an entire group or class; general. See Synonyms at general.

  2. Biology Of or relating to a genus.

    1. Not having a brand name: generic soap.

    2. Of or being a drug sold under or identified by its official nonproprietary or chemical name.

  3. Grammar Specifying neither masculine nor feminine gender: generic nouns like waitperson and executive.

n.  
  1. A product or substance sold under or identified by a generic name.

  2. A wine that is a blend of several grape varieties and does not carry the name of any specific grape.


[From Latin genus, gener-, kind; see genə- in Indo-European roots.]
ge·ner'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
generic [dʒəˈnɛrɪk]

  1. mod.
    cheap; plain; undesirable. : I don't want any old generic car, I want something with power and good looks.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

generic 
1676, "belonging to a large group of objects," formed in Eng. from L. gener-, stem of genus "kind" (see genus). Sense of "not special, not brand-name," of groceries, etc., is from 1977.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: ge·ner·ic
Pronunciation: j&-'ner-ik
Function: adjective
1 : common or descriptive and not entitled to trademark protection : NONPROPRIETARY generic name of a drug>
2 : having a nonproprietary name <generic drugs>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1ge·ner·ic
Pronunciation: j&-'ner-ik
Function: adjective
1 : not protected by trademark registration : NONPROPRIETARY generic names> —used especially in trademark law
2 : relating to or having the rank of a biological genus —ge·ner·i·cal·ly /-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb

Main Entry: 2generic
Function: noun
: a generic drug —usually used in plural
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

generic ge·ner·ic (jə-něr'ĭk)
adj.

  1. Of or relating to a genus.

  2. Relating to or descriptive of an entire group or class; general.

  3. Not having a trademark or brand name.

n.
A drug sold without a brand name or trademark.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see generic on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: