genérica

Genérica is the feminine form of the adjective genérico, used in Spanish, Portuguese, and other Romance languages to describe something that is not tied to a specific brand, model, or instance. The term derives from Latin genus and gener-, and it is commonly applied to products, policies, or descriptions that refer to a general type rather than a particular example. In everyday language, genérica contrasts with terms that emphasize brand names or trademarks.

In pharmacology, a medicamento genérico is a drug that contains the same active ingredient, in the same dosage, as a brand-name product and is shown to be bioequivalent. Generics are produced after patent protections end and are typically offered at lower prices, with packaging and labeling that emphasize the generic name rather than a trademark. Regulators require that generics meet the same standards of quality, safety, and efficacy as the original product.

In biology, the term genérico (in its masculine form) refers to the genus name in binomial nomenclature. The nome genérico is the first element of a species’ scientific name and is typically capitalized and italicized. It groups together closely related species and provides a formal level of classification used across science.

Beyond science, genérica is used in everyday language to describe general or non-specific characteristics, such as una historia genérica, un enfoque genérico, o una solución genérica. The word thus spans grammar, medicine, biology, and common usage to express generality versus particularity.