Etymology Map
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Generic

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means relating to a class; not branded

Where does the word "generic" come from? It comes from Latin genus, passing through French before entering English (1670s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
genus
Latin · ancient
"kind, race"
the root of 'general' and 'gender'
2
Stage 2 of 3
générique
French · 1600s
"general"
centuries later, 20th-century French cinema borrowed the same word, 'générique', for a film or TV show's opening credits
3
Stage 3 of 3
generic
English · 1670s
"of a genus"
'generic' drugs date from the 1960s
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Read the full story

Generic’s story begins in Latin: genus meant “kind, race.” The root of 'general' and 'gender'. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in French as générique. Centuries later, 20th-century French cinema borrowed the same word, 'générique', for a film or TV show's opening credits. It reached English by 1670s as generic. 'generic' drugs date from the 1960s. Today, generic means relating to a class; not branded.