Generic programming, is a programming style that strives to make programs more adaptable and robust through compile-time typechecking and by emphasizing the use of polymorphic datatypes and parameterized methods....[1]

As an example, C++ generics are utilized with the use of templates which the STL library provides support for. In Java, generics have only recently been made available as of version 1.5 [2]where parametric datatypes have been added to the language.

[1]

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia on Generic programming: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_programming.

[2]

Suns guide to generics in Java 1.5: http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/language/generics.html.