generic
n. countablen. a product that does not have a famous brand name. It usually has the same ingredients as a more expensive version but costs less.
n. a product, especially a pharmaceutical drug, that is not protected by a trademark or brand name. Often used to refer to medications that are chemically identical to a brand-name original but sold at a lower price point.
The doctor says the generic is just as effective as the brand.
Many patients switch to generics to save money on their monthly prescriptions without sacrificing the quality of their treatment.
Once the patent for a blockbuster drug expires, several manufacturers typically enter the market with their own generics, leading to a significant reduction in the average retail price.
From Middle French générique, from Latin genus (“genus, kind”) + -ic; thus morphologically parallel with, and a doublet of, general.
Commonly used in the plural form when referring to a category of products.