Totally Off Topic...I need help from the vocabulary police

[RecRef]

Originally posted by Barry C. Morris
Back in the day, my 12th grade english teacher told us this word and, for no reason whatsoever, I've been trying to remember it. The word is roughly defined as brand names that become so popular that they become synonymous with the product itself. For example,Kleenex (instead of tissue), Kool-Aid (instead of flavored drink), Coke (instead of soft drink).

The word you are looking for is "genericide." Check the following link http://www.inta.org/basics/tmfaqsD.shtml under number 4.

I asked a friend who is a honcho at the US Patent and Trademark Office about this. While he is on the patent side he said that it is a term that is used around there.