a polymer consisting of a small number of nucleotides
oligonucleotide in American English
(ˌɑlɪgoʊˈnuklioʊˌtaɪd; ˌɑlɪgoʊˈnjuklɛoʊˌtaɪd)
noun
a short piece of nucleic acid, usually with less than twenty nucleotides, used in genetic engineering and research
oligonucleotide in American English
(ˌɑlɪɡouˈnuːkliəˌtaid, -ˈnjuː-)
noun
Biochemistry
a chain of a few nucleotides
Word origin
[1940–45; oligo- + nucleotide]This word is first recorded in the period 1940–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: blockbuster, sealant, silkscreen, update, whiteout
Examples of 'oligonucleotide' in a sentence
oligonucleotide
The oligonucleotide is chemically modified for in vivo stability and specific placental uptake.