oligomer

American  

[uh-lig-uh-mer] / əˈlɪg ə mər /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a polymer molecule consisting of a small number of monomers.

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oligomer British  

/ ɒˈlɪɡəmə /

noun

1. a compound of relatively low molecular weight containing up to five monomer units Compare polymer copolymer

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oligomer Scientific  

/ ə-lĭg′ə-mər /

1. A molecule that consists of a relatively small and specifiable number of monomers (usually less than five). Unlike a polymer, if one of the monomers is removed from an oligomer, its chemical properties are altered.

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Other Word Forms

• oligomeric
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of oligomer

First recorded in 1965–70; oligo- + -mer

Example Sentences

To explore further, the researchers tested another simple liquid, styrene oligomer, with the same viscosity.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Their findings reveal a previously unknown dinucleotide binding pocket within the DnaA oligomer, where two bases of a repeating DnaA-trio sequence tightly bind, enabling the capture of a single DNA strand.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2023

Such oligomers are notoriously unstable, converting to other oligomer types spontaneously.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 20, 2022

Since then, annual NIH support for studies labeled “amyloid, oligomer, and Alzheimer’s” has risen from near zero to $287 million in 2021.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 20, 2022

A 2013 study found that the oligomer concentration of the ‘haloes’ that surround plaques could be used to distinguish the brains of people with dementia from those without who had a similar plaque burden4.

From Nature • Jul. 24, 2018