generic
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.relating to a whole group or class of things rather than a specific one.
adj.pertaining to an entire class or group; not specific or individual in application.
Simple“The doctor gave me some generic advice about eating more vegetables.”
In context“The report offered only generic solutions that failed to address the unique socio-economic challenges facing this specific region.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing a product, like medicine, that does not have a famous brand name.
adj.referring to consumer goods, especially pharmaceuticals, that are not protected by a trademark and are sold under their chemical or common name.
Simple“I usually buy the generic version of aspirin because it is much cheaper.”
In context“Once the patent expired, several manufacturers began producing generic versions of the cholesterol medication at a fraction of the original cost.”
UsageOften used to describe drugs that are chemically identical to brand-name versions.
Synonymsnon proprietaryunbrandedAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.lacking any special or interesting qualities; very ordinary.
adj.lacking distinctive characteristics; perceived as unoriginal, derivative, or bland.
Simple“The new apartment buildings all have a very generic look.”
In context“Critics dismissed the film as a generic action thriller that relied heavily on tired tropes and predictable plot twists.”
Teacher's tipThis sense often carries a slightly negative or critical tone.
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
adj.in computer programming, code that can work with many different types of data.
adj.referring to a style of computer programming in which algorithms are written in terms of types to-be-specified-later.
Simple“The developer wrote a generic function to sort any list of items.”
In context“By using generic collections, the software remains flexible enough to handle various data structures without requiring redundant code for each type.”
UsageCommonly used in the context of 'generic programming' or 'generic classes'.
Synonymspolymorphic - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a product that is sold without a brand name.
n.a product, particularly a drug, that is chemically equivalent to a brand-name original but sold under its common name.
Simple“The pharmacist asked if I wanted the brand name or the generic.”
In context“The hospital policy encourages the prescription of generics to reduce overall healthcare costs for patients.”
UsageUsually refers to pharmaceutical drugs.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage generic term
“Even if his summer romance story finally feels generic, there’s enough here to suggest others will soon be queueing up to give Adenekan the love.”
“Constructing an accurate, full-scale replica involves far more than enlarging a drawing or arranging generic bones into a dramatic pose.”
From Middle French générique, from Latin genus (“genus, kind”) + -ic; thus morphologically parallel with, and a doublet of, general.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.