oligogene

oli·go·gene

noun \ˈäl-i-gō-ˌjēn, ə-ˈlig-ə-\

Definition of OLIGOGENE

: a gene that exerts a major effect on a character either as one of two Mendelian alternatives or as one of a few genes controlling a qualitative character

—oli·go·gen·ic \ˌäl-i-gō-ˈjen-ik, ə-ˌlig-ə-, -ˈjē-nik\ adjective