释义 |
ge·ner·ic I. \jə̇ˈnerik, -rēk\ adjective Etymology: French générique, from Latin gener-, genus birth, race, class, kind + French -ique -ic — more at kin 1. a. : relating or applied to or descriptive of all members of a genus, species, class, or group : common to or characteristic of a whole group or class : typifying or subsuming : not specific or individual : general < the diseases grouped under the generic heading of regional enteritis — W.H.Hale > < there is no such thing as a generic “Asian” mind — R.A.Smith > < the same generic similarity that one finds in the professional officers of any armed service — Joseph Alsop > < the novel has always had a generic habit of reaching out to the extremes of literary expression — Mark Schorer > b. : available for common use : not protected by trademark registration : nonproprietary < nylon and aspirin are generic names > — used especially in trademark law 2. : relating to or having the rank of a biological genus Synonyms: see universal II. noun (-s) : an element of a compound proper name that is general and often lowercased (as river in “Mississippi River” and store in “XYZ Store”) III. adjective 1. : not limited to a particular application or to use with a particular device < generic computer software > 2. of wine : sold under a broad class name rather than under a specific geographic or varietal name < a generic burgundy > IV. noun : a generic product (as a drug) — usually used in plural |