Generic: meaning, definitions and examples

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generic

 

[ dʒəˈnɛrɪk ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

product description

Characteristic of or relating to a class or group of things; not specific.

Synonyms

common, general, universal

Examples of usage

  • This is a generic brand of cereal.
  • She prefers the generic version of the medication.
Context #2 | Noun

computing

A type of class or interface that can be used with any data type.

Synonyms

parametric, polymorphic

Examples of usage

  • In Java, generic types allow for the creation of classes that work with different data types.

Translations

Translations of the word "generic" in other languages:

🇵🇹 genérico

🇮🇳 सामान्य

🇩🇪 generisch

🇮🇩 generik

🇺🇦 загальний

🇵🇱 ogólny

🇯🇵 一般的な

🇫🇷 générique

🇪🇸 genérico

🇹🇷 genel

🇰🇷 일반적인

🇸🇦 عام

🇨🇿 obecný

🇸🇰 všeobecný

🇨🇳 通用的

🇸🇮 splošen

🇮🇸 almennur

🇰🇿 жалпы

🇬🇪 ზოგადი

🇦🇿 ümumi

🇲🇽 genérico

Etymology

The word 'generic' originated from the Latin word 'genericus', which means 'pertaining to a kind or class'. It has been used in English since the late 17th century to describe things that are not specific or unique, but rather general or common. In modern usage, 'generic' is commonly used in product descriptions to refer to items that are not branded or trademarked.

See also: genre.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,096 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.