I. jə̇ˈnerik, -rēk adjective
Etymology: French générique, from Latin gener-, genus birth, race, class, kind + French -ique -ic — more at kin
1.
a. : relating or applied to or descriptive of all members of a genus, species, class, or group : common to or characteristic of a whole group or class : typifying or subsuming : not specific or individual : general
the diseases grouped under the generic heading of regional enteritis — W.H.Hale
there is no such thing as a generic “Asian” mind — R.A.Smith
the same generic similarity that one finds in the professional officers of any armed service — Joseph Alsop
the novel has always had a generic habit of reaching out to the extremes of literary expression — Mark Schorer
b. : available for common use : 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
Synonyms: see universal
II. noun
( -s )
: an element of a compound proper name that is general and often lowercased (as river in “Mississippi River” and store in “XYZ Store”)
III. adjective
1. : not limited to a particular application or to use with a particular device
generic computer software
2. of wine : sold under a broad class name rather than under a specific geographic or varietal name
a generic burgundy
IV. noun
: a generic product (as a drug) — usually used in plural