The chemical reactions and pathways resulting in the breakdown of nucleotides, any nucleoside that is esterified with (ortho)phosphate or an oligophosphate at any hydroxyl group on the glycose moiety; may be mono-, di- or triphosphate; this definition includes cyclic-nucleotides (nucleoside cyclic phosphates). [ GOC:go_curators ]

Synonyms: nucleotide degradation nucleotide catabolism nucleotide breakdown