GENERIC

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does generic mean? 

• GENERIC (noun)
  The noun GENERIC has 2 senses:

1. wine that does not meet the minimum qualifications and standards for use of a designation by appellation of origin (where the grapes are grown) or by varietal content; may only be labeled by proprietary (made-up) name, by general color (such as 'vin rouge', 'vino rosso', 'rotwein', 'red wine', etc.), or by general class (as 'vin ordinaire', 'vin de table', 'vino da tavola', 'tafelwein', 'table wine', etc.)

2. any product that can be sold without a brand name

  Familiarity information: GENERIC used as a noun is rare.

• GENERIC (adjective)
  The adjective GENERIC has 3 senses:

1. relating to or common to or descriptive of all members of a genus

2. (of drugs) not protected by trademark

3. applicable to an entire class or group

  Familiarity information: GENERIC used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GENERIC (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wine that does not meet the minimum qualifications and standards for use of a designation by appellation of origin (where the grapes are grown) or by varietal content; may only be labeled by proprietary (made-up) name, by general color (such as 'vin rouge', 'vino rosso', 'rotwein', 'red wine', etc.), or by general class (as 'vin ordinaire', 'vin de table', 'vino da tavola', 'tafelwein', 'table wine', etc.)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

generic; generic wine

Hypernyms ("generic" is a kind of...):

vino; wine (fermented juice (of grapes especially))

Antonym:

varietal (a wine made principally from one grape and carrying the name of that grape)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any product that can be sold without a brand name

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("generic" is a kind of...):

merchandise; product; ware (commodities offered for sale)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "generic"):

generic drug (when the patent protection for a brand-name drug expires generic versions of the drug can be offered for sale if the FDA agrees)

• GENERIC (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Relating to or common to or descriptive of all members of a genus

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

the generic name

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Pertainym:

genus ((biology) taxonomic group containing one or more species)

Derivation:

genus ((biology) taxonomic group containing one or more species)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(of drugs) not protected by trademark

Context example:

'Acetaminophen' is the generic form of the proprietary drug 'Tylenol'

Similar:

nonproprietary (not protected by trademark or patent or copyright)

Domain category:

drug (a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Applicable to an entire class or group

Context example:

is there a generic Asian mind?

Similar:

general (applying to all or most members of a category or group)

Derivation:

genus (a general kind of something)

 Context examples 

Generic names usually refer to the chemical name of the drug.

(Generic, NCI Dictionary)

A generic data type to specify an uncertain value of an ordered data type using a parametric method (i.e., a distribution function and its parameters are specified).

(Parametric Probability Distribution, NCI Thesaurus)

The generic term used for a type of air pollution.

(Particulate, NCI Thesaurus)

Generic category for HTLV-I and HTLV-II.

(HTLV Virus, NCI Thesaurus)

Sialic acid is the generic term for N-acetyl- or N-glycoloylneuraminic acid.

(Ganglioside, NCI Thesaurus)

Interleukin is the generic name for a group of well-characterized cytokines that are produced by leukocytes and other cell types.

(Interleukin, NCI Thesaurus)

The PedsQL Measurement Model uses a modular approach that integrates both generic core scales and disease-specific modules into one measurement system.

(Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, NCI Thesaurus)

An NSC code identifier issued for a generic product.

(NSC Generic Product Identifier, NCI Thesaurus)

A category specifying that a drug is marketed as the brand-generic version of the product by the holder of an approved New Drug Application.

(Marketed as Authorized Generic under New Drug Application, NCI Thesaurus)

A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water.

(Lipid, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)