Definition:
A distinctive word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies a product and is legally owned by its manufacturer or inventor. (The website of the International Trademark Association [INTA] includes a guide to the proper use of nearly 3,000 U.S. registered trademarks.) Abbreviation, TM. See also: generification.
Examples and Observations:
- Though often treated as generic terms, the following words and phrases are all registered trademarks:
Band-Aid
Chap Stick
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 - 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
pogostick
tarmac
thermos
touch-tone
trampoline
wedgie
yo-yo
zipper - "All editorial style manuals recommend that trademarks be capitalized. But strict adherence to this convention is likely to startle readers, many of whom are unaware that Dacron, Dumpster, Formica, Frisbee, Jell-o, Mace, Muzak, Orlon, Ping-Pong, Post-it, Styrofoam, Teflon, and Touch-Tone are trademarks. Once a trademark is so common as to be perceived as a generic term that is used metaphorically ('that's no more than a band-aid approach'; 'the teflon president'; 'he shook like jello'), some editors will lowercase the name. . . .
"There is no need to include such designations as ™ (trademark), ® (registered trademark), or © (copyright) in running text. Indeed it is preferable not to use these symbols because they may interfere with the linespacing of the final document."
(Amy Einsohn, The Copyeditor's Handbook, University of California Press, 2006)
Pronunciation: TRADE-mark
