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
Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Efforts to onshore drug ingredients for security purposes don't do much if they're not targeted at generic drugs, of which the vast majority come from China, said Mariana Socal, associate professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
Adriel Bettelheim, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Pharmaceutical companies often employ strategies to extend patents for brand name drugs and delay competition from generics.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for generic
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Adjective
As a job seeker, understanding what makes recruiters and hiring managers cringe could mean the difference between a job offer and a generic rejection email.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Efforts to onshore drug ingredients for security purposes don't do much if they're not targeted at generic drugs, of which the vast majority come from China, said Mariana Socal, associate professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University.
—Tina Reed, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
The analysis found spending on metformin, an older first-line oral drug for Type 2 diabetes that's available as a generic, decreased 5% over the five years studied, to $623 million.
—Adriel Bettelheim, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Pharmaceutical companies often employ strategies to extend patents for brand name drugs and delay competition from generics.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 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 9 Mar. 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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