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Chemical vs Generic - What's the difference?

chemical | generic |

As adjectives the difference between chemical and generic

is that chemical is of or relating to alchemy while generic is very comprehensive; pertaining or appropriate to large classes or groups as opposed to specific.

As nouns the difference between chemical and generic

is that chemical is any specific chemical element or chemical compound while generic is a product sold under a generic name.

chemical

English

Adjective

(-)
  • (label) Of or relating to alchemy.
  • Of or relating to chemistry.
  • Of or relating to a material or processes not commonly found in nature or in a particular product.
  • Derived terms

    * technochemical

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any specific chemical element or chemical compound.
  • (label) An artificial chemical compound.
  • I color my hair with henna, not chemicals .
  • (label) An addictive drug.
  • Usage notes

    * The noun is frequently used in a slang and more specific non-technical way (2nd and 3rd definition) by the general public. Chemists and those who understand chemistry may gravitate toward the first, but the term "substance" is preferred usage.

    Derived terms

    * antichemical * chemical abortion * chemical affinity * chemical agent * chemical beam epitaxy * chemical biology * chemical bond * chemical castration * chemical change * chemical clock * chemical composition * chemical database * chemical decomposition * chemical defense * chemical dependency * chemical depilatory * chemical dermatitis * chemical ecology * chemical element * chemical energy * chemical engineering * chemical fingerprint * chemical hazard * chemical horn * chemical indicator * chemical industry * chemical kinetics * chemical laser * chemical law * chemical messenger * chemical oceanography * chemical pathology * chemical peel * chemical peritonitis * chemical physics * chemical plant * chemical reaction * chemical reactor * chemical sensitivity * chemical series * chemical shift * chemical toilet * chemical weapon

    See also

    * molecule * reagent

    Anagrams

    *

    generic

    Alternative forms

    * generick

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Very comprehensive; pertaining or appropriate to large classes or groups as opposed to specific.
  • :* "...the essence is that such self-describing poets describe what is in them, but not peculiar to them, – what is generic , not what is special and individual." — Walter Bagehot (1826–1877)
  • Lacking in precision, often in an evasive fashion; vague; imprecise.
  • (of a product or drug) Not having a brand name.
  • (biology, not comparable) Of or relating to a taxonomic genus.
  • (grammar) Specifying neither masculine nor feminine; epicene.
  • Words like salesperson and firefighter are generic .
  • (computing) (Of program code) Written so as to operate on any data type, the type required being passed as a parameter.
  • (geometry, of a point) Having coordinates that are algebraically independent over the base field.
  • Synonyms

    * (comprehensive) general * (lacking a brand) unbranded

    Antonyms

    * (comprehensive) specific, proprietary * (lacking a brand) non-generic, proprietary, branded

    Derived terms

    * genericity * genericness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A product sold under a generic name
  • A wine that is a blend of several wines, or made from a blend of several grape varieties
  • (grammar) A term that specifies neither male nor female.
  • * 1998 , Jacqueline A. Dienemann, Nursing administration: managing patient care