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Definition
applicable to an entire class or group rather than to a specific thing; or a non-branded version of something such as a medication or groceryLess commonly, "generic" can mean: relating to, common to, or descriptive of all members of a genus (as in the genus and species of taxonomy). It is from this meaning that today's more common meaning probably originated.
- An empty room, Gervais had said, and at first I tried to picture white walls, a wood floor, a generic anywhere.Sarah Dessen -- Lock and Key
- It was under a counter, staring horror-stricken at a bowl of generic dog food.James Patterson -- School's Out - Forever
- Sort of generic directions.Rick Yancey -- The Infinite Sea
- "Private message for Molly Reyes," the generic voice from the port calls out.Ally Condie -- Matched
- Standing, she threw her purse over her shoulder and fled down the generic tiled hallways until she reached an exit.Nicholas Sparks -- The Best of Me
- It was a man's tenor voice, a very pleasant, generic voice — the kind of voice that you heard in the background of luxury car commercials.Stephenie Meyer -- Twilight
- There's a generic resemblance, that's all.Margaret Atwood -- Cat's Eye
- "It was sort of a generic word to describe someone who was slow," I said.Rebecca Skloot -- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
- Day by day, Wendell is less himself and more generic.Thomas Pynchon -- The Crying of Lot 49
- In September 2010, we found an e-mail in one of the generic boxes at DuckCommander.com.Willie & Korie Robertson -- The Duck Commander Family
- These I don't have any generic name for..."hangups" I suppose.Robert M. Pirsig -- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
- Framed posters, generic vintage advertising posters, nothing she'd have chosen.Katherine Applegate -- Everworld - Search For Senna
- Maybe she just used her generic pattern for SCRAWNY MALE.Rick Riordan -- The House of Hades
- Peter reached for his commissary form again and checked off the box for a generic greeting card.Jodi Picoult -- Nineteen Minutes
- Instead of realistic facial portraits, the mummies had the generic wide-eyed, smiling faces I'd seen on most Egyptian death masks.Rick Riordan -- The Throne of Fire
- There are also generic versions.John Ringo -- Live Free or Die
- His generic sneakers had made it all the way back, but they were full of holes and stank.Tracy Kidder -- Strength in What Remains
- I thought he said this: "The generic word for 'brother' is brother."Pat Conroy -- The Lords of Discipline
- Or he could use a generic, vague spell to block whatever Oromis was doing.Christopher Paolini -- Eldest
- The only generic hospital garb sitting around are those embarrassing gowns that they put the patients in.Gayle Forman -- If I Stay
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