generic

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: ge=ner=ic

CIDE DICTIONARY

generic, a. [L. genus, generis, race, kind: cf. F. générique. See Gender.].

•  Pertaining to a genus or kind; relating to a genus, as distinct from a species, or from another genus; as, a generic description; a generic difference; a generic name.  [1913 Webster]
•  Very comprehensive; pertaining or appropriate to large classes or their characteristics; -- opposed to specific.  [1913 Webster]
•  Not protected by trademark; -- used especially of the names of medications; as, a generic drug; the generic name of Rogaine is minoxidil.  [PJC]

  " Since patented medications cannot be sold except under license from the patentee, medication which is still under patent is not typically sold as a generic drug, i.e., sold under its generic name, though it can be referred to by its generic name."  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

generic, adj.
1 characteristic of or relating to a class; general, not specific or special.
2 Biol. characteristic of or belonging to a genus.
3 (of goods, esp. a drug) having no brand name; not protected by a registered trade mark.

Derivative

generically adv.

Etymology

F g{eacute}n{eacute}rique f. L GENUS

THESAURUS

generic

abstract, bland, broad, collective, common, featureless, general, generalized, indefinite, indeterminate, nebulous, neutral, nonspecific, uncharacterized, undifferentiated, universal, unspecified, vague, wide

ROGET THESAURUS

generic

Generality

N generality, generalization, universality, catholicity, catholicism, miscellany, miscellaneousness, dragnet, common run, worldwideness, everyone, everybody, all hands, all the world and his wife, anybody, N or M, all sorts, prevalence, run, general, generic, collective, broad, comprehensive, sweeping, encyclopedical, widespread, universal, catholic, catholical, common, worldwide, ecumenical, oecumenical, transcendental, prevalent, prevailing, rife, epidemic, besetting, all over, covered with, Pan-American, Anglican, Pan-Hellenic, Pan-Germanic, slavic, panharmonic, every, all, unspecified, impersonal, customary, whatever, whatsoever, to a man, one and all, generally, always, for better for worse, in general, generally speaking, speaking generally, for the most part, in the long run.