an;ti;sense pronunciation: function: adjective etymology: anti- + nonsensedate: 1977 : having a sequence complementary to a segment of genetic material; specifically : of, being, relating to, or possessing a sequence of dna or rna that is complementary to and pairs with a specific messenger rna blocking it from being translated into protein and serving to inhibit gene function lt;antisense drug therapygt; lt;antisense rnagt; — compare missense, nonsense