oligonucleotide

noun

ol·​i·​go·​nu·​cle·​o·​tide ə-ˌli-gə-ˈnü-klē-ə-ˌtīd 

-ˈnyü-

: a short nucleic-acid chain usually consisting of up to approximately 20 nucleotides

Examples of oligonucleotide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company plans to start a trial of its oligonucleotide later this year or early in 2025, Platenburg says. — Bymitch Leslie, science.org, 24 Oct. 2024

In April 2024, Parekh got a personalized drug called an antisense oligonucleotide, or ASO. — Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2025

For years, the most promising treatments were antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which are delivered by recurring injections into a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid. — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025

In 2018, Mila received the world’s first individualized antisense oligonucleotide, developed in under a year. — Judy Stecker, STAT, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for oligonucleotide

• aminoglycoside
• chlordiazepoxide
• dimethylformamide
• oligosaccharide
• paraformaldehyde
• polynucleotide
• ribonucleotide
• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride

Medical Definition

oligonucleotide

noun

oli·​go·​nu·​cle·​o·​tide -ˈn(y)ü-klē-ə-ˌtīd 

: a relatively short single-stranded nucleic-acid chain (as an oligodeoxynucleotide or oligoribonucleotide) usually consisting of up to approximately 20 nucleotides