Select the most appropriate synonym of the underlined word.

Medicines should be ordered by the generic name, not by the proprietary or trade name.

General

The correct answer is option 2. General.

Out of the choices, the most appropriate synonym for "generic" is General

Generic refers to something that is typical of a whole class or group, not specific to a brand.

General also means applying to all or most people or things and not specific to a particular case.

Exclusive, individual, and specific all have opposite meanings to generic. They imply something that is unique or limited to a certain group or situation.

In the sentence, "generic name" refers to a medicine name that applies to any version of the drug, not a specific brand name. So, "general" best captures the meaning of "generic" in this context.