What Is a Trademark?

A trademark is a distinctive word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies a product or service and is legally owned by its manufacturer or inventor. The abbreviation is written as TM.

In formal writing, as a general rule, trademarks should be avoided unless specific products or services are being discussed. Exceptions are sometimes made when a trademark (for example, Taser) is better known than its generic equivalent (electroshock weapon).

The website of the International Trademark Association [INTA] includes a guide to the proper use of more than 3,000 trademarks registered in the U.S. According to the INTA, a trademark "should always be used as an adjective qualifying a generic noun that defines the product or service [for example, Ray-Ban sunglasses, not Ray-Bans]...As adjectives, marks should not be used as plurals or in the possessive form, unless the mark itself is plural or possessive (such as 1-800-FLOWERS, MCDONALD’S or LEVI’S)."

Popular Examples of Trademarked Brand Names

• Band-Aid
• ChapStick
• Crock-Pot
• Dolby
• Formica
• Freon
• Frisbee
• Hacky Sack
• Hoover
• Jacuzzi
• Jeep
• Jet Ski
• Kleenex
• Loafer
• Lycra
• Mace
• Naugahyde
• Playbill
• Popsicle
• Rollerblade
• Skivvies
• Spork
• Taser
• Teletype
• Vaseline
• Velcro
• Windbreaker

Some Trademarks Become Mainstream

While the following items were originally trademarks, these common names are now regarded as generic names:

• aspirin
• bundt cake
• cellophane
• ditto
• dry ice
• escalator
• granola
• heroin
• kerosene
• linoleum
• LP
• minibike
• nylon
• pogo stick
• tarmac
• thermos
• touch-tone
• trampoline
• wedgie
• yo-yo
• zipper