Appellatived

/əˈpɛləɪvd/ adjective

Definition

Treated as or functioning as an appellative; used as a common name rather than a proper name.

Etymology

From 'appellative' plus -ed, suggesting something has been given appellative characteristics or treatment.

Kelly Says

When a brand name becomes 'appellatived'—like people saying 'I'll Google it' instead of 'I'll search the internet'—companies risk losing trademark protection because the word becomes a generic term.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.