generic

English

Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• generick

Etymology

Formed in English from Latin gener- (“genus, kind”) +‎ -ic.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dʒɪˈnɛɹɪk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛrɪk

Adjective

generic (comparative more generic, superlative most generic)

1. Very comprehensive; pertaining or appropriate to large classes or groups as opposed to specific.

   • "...the essence is that such self-describing poets describe what is in them, but not peculiar to them, – what is generic, not what is special and individual." — Walter Bagehot (1826–1877)

2. Lacking in precision, often in and evasive fashion; vague; imprecise.
3. (of a product or drug) Not having a brand name.
4. (biology, not comparable) Of, or relating to a taxonomic genus.
5. (grammar) Specifying neither masculine nor feminine; epicene.

   Words like salesperson and firefighter are often refered to as generic.

6. (computing) (Of program code) Written so as to operate on any data type, the type required being passed as a parameter.

Synonyms

• (comprehensive): general
• (lacking a brand): unbranded

Antonyms

• (comprehensive): specific, proprietary
• (lacking a brand): non-generic, propietary, branded

Translations

very comprehensive

• Arabic: إِجْمالِيّ (ar), جامِع (ar), شامِل (ar), شُمُولِيّ (ar), عامّ (ar), عُمُومِيّ (ar), عَمِيم (ar), كُلِّيّ (ar), مُحِيطٌ (ar), مُطْلَق (ar)
• Dutch: generiek (nl)
• Finnish: yleinen (fi), yleis- (fi), geneerinen (fi)
• French: générique (fr)

• German: allgemein (de), generisch (de), typisch (de)
• Greek: γενικός (el) (genikós) m
• Ido: generala (io)
• Norwegian: generisk (no)
• Spanish: genérico (es)
• Turkish: genelleyici (tr), kapsamlı (tr)

of, or relating to a genus

• Finnish: suku-
• German: artmäßig (de), gattungsmäßig (de), arttypisch (de)
• Norwegian: generisk (no)

• Scottish Gaelic: gneitheach (gd)
• Turkish: cinsle ilgili (tr), familyaya āit (tr), soyuna özgü (tr), eşdeğer (tr)

not having a brand name

• Dutch: generiek (nl)
• French: générique (fr)
• German: Generikum (de) n

• Greek: γενόσημο (el) (genósimo) n (of a drug)
• Norwegian: merkelo/s (no), generisk (no)
• Spanish: genérico (es) (of a drug)

specifying neither masculine nor feminine e.g. salesperson

• Norwegian: kjo/nnsno/ytral (no)

(computing) written so as to operate on any data type

• German: generisch (de)

• Turkish: generic (tr), üreysel (tr)

Noun

generic (plural generics)

1. A product sold under a generic name
2. A wine that is a blend of several wines, or made from a blend of several grape varieties
3. (grammar) A term that specifies neither male nor female.
   • 1998, Jacqueline A. Dienemann, Nursing administration: managing patient care

     […] a male-centered perspective […] has resulted in false generics in everyday life […]

Translations

A product sold under a generic name

• Finnish: geneerinen tuote
• French: médicament générique (fr) m, produit générique (fr) m

• Greek: γενόσημος (el) (genósimos) m

A wine that is a blend of several wines, or made from a blend of several grape varieties

Related terms

• gender
• genus