寡核苷酸，是一类只有20个以下碱基的短链核苷酸的总称（包括脱氧核糖核酸DNA或核糖核酸RNA内的核苷酸），寡核苷酸可以很容易地和它们的互补对链接，所以常用来作为探针确定DNA或RNA的结构，经常用于基因芯片、电泳、荧光原位杂交等过程中。

寡核苷酸合成的DNA（脱氧核糖核酸）可以用于链聚合反应，能放大确定几乎所有DNA的片段，在这个过程中寡核苷酸是作为引物，和DNA 中标的的互补片段结合，作成DNA的复制品。

调控寡核苷酸用于抑制RNA片段，防止其翻译成蛋白，在制止癌细胞活动方面能起一定的作用。

Oligonucleotides are short DNA or RNA molecules, oligomers, that have a wide range of applications in genetic testing, research, and forensics. Commonly made in the laboratory by solid-phase chemical synthesis, these small bits of nucleic acids can be manufactured as single-stranded molecules with any user-specified sequence, and so are vital for artificial gene synthesis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, library construction and as molecular probes. In nature, oligonucleotides are usually found as small RNA molecules that function in the regulation of gene expression (e.g. microRNA), or are degradation intermediates derived from the breakdown of larger nucleic acid molecules.