marginal
Use Marginal in a sentence
dʒə adjective
1.
pertaining to a margin.
2.
situated on the border or edge.
3.
at the outer or lower limits; minimal for requirements; almost insufficient: marginal subsistence; marginal ability.
4.
written or printed in the margin of a page: a marginal note.
5.
Sociology. marked by contact with disparate cultures, and acquiring some but not all the traits or values common to any one of them.
6.
Economics.
a.
selling goods at a price that just equals the additional cost of producing the last unit supplied.
b.
of or pertaining to goods produced and marketed at margin: marginal profits.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To marginal
00:10
Marginal
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
marginal (ˈmɑːdʒɪnəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | of, in, on, or constituting a margin |
| 2. | close to a limit, esp a lower limit: marginal legal ability |
| 3. | not considered central or important; insignificant, minor, small |
| 4. | economics relating to goods or services produced and sold at the margin of profitability: marginal cost |
| 5. | chiefly (Brit), (NZ) politics of or designating a constituency in which elections tend to be won by small margins: a marginal seat |
| 6. | designating agricultural land on the margin of cultivated zones |
| 7. | economics relating to a small change in something, such as total cost, revenue, or consumer satisfaction |
| —n | |
| 8. | chiefly (Brit), (NZ) politics a marginal constituency |
| marginality | |
| —n | |
| 'marginally | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
marginal
1570s, written on the margin, from M.L. marginalis, from L. margo (see margin). Sense of "of little effect or importance" first recorded 1887. Related: Marginally.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
marginal mar·gin·al (mär'jə-nəl)
adj.
Of, relating to, located at, or constituting a margin, a border, or an edge.
Marginally within a lower standard or limit of quality.
Relating to or located at the fringe of consciousness.
mar'gin·al'i·ty (-jə-nāl'ĭ-tē) n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Slang Dictionary
marginal
adj. [common]1. [techspeak] An extremely small change. "A marginal increase in core can decrease GC time drastically." In everyday terms, this means that it is a lot easier to clean off your desk if you have a spare place to put some of the junk while you sort through it.
2. Of little merit. "This proposed new feature seems rather marginal to me."
3. Of extremely small probability of winning. "The power supply was rather marginal anyway; no wonder it fried."
Jargon
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
marginal definition
jargon1. Extremely small. "A marginal increase in core can decrease GC time drastically." In everyday terms, this means that it is a lot easier to clean off your desk if you have a spare place to put some of the junk while you sort through it.
2. Of extremely small merit. "This proposed new feature seems rather marginal to me."
3. Of extremely small probability of winning. "The power supply was rather marginal anyway; no wonder it fried."
[Jargon File]
(1994-10-21)
Example sentences
Capitalism has a way of absorbing the marginal into the mainstream and making a profit on it.
One good argument for the steady and progressive income tax is to look at autonomous spending and marginal propensity to consume.
Select a party on the left to see which of its seats are marginal.
But of course, environments vary, and foragers may live in marginal or energy-rich environments.
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