marginal

[ mahr-juh-nl ]
See synonyms for marginal on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. pertaining to a margin.

  2. situated on the border or edge.

  1. at the outer or lower limits; minimal for requirements; almost insufficient: marginal subsistence;marginal ability.

  2. written or printed in the margin of a page: a marginal note.

  3. of minor importance, significance, relevance, or effect: Ethics is not a marginal issue, as it is the basis for the movement and progress of society.Grids using even larger voltages are now being constructed, but will probably make only a marginal improvement in costs.

  4. Sociology.

    • marked by contact with disparate cultures, and acquiring some but not all the traits or values common to any one of them: The “marginal man” is one who is poised in psychological uncertainty between two or more worlds.

    • isolated from and not fully accepted by the dominant society or culture, and as a consequence, frequently disadvantaged: An overarching desire exists to foster social inclusion of all marginal groups, including people with a mental illness.

  5. existing outside of the mainstream; unconventional: We hope the site is a place to enliven our own sometimes-isolated work in these marginal art forms.

  6. Economics.

    • selling goods at a price that just equals the additional cost of producing the last unit supplied.

    • of or relating to goods produced and marketed at margin: marginal profits.

Origin of marginal

1
First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin marginālis “of or pertaining to an edge”; see margin, -al1

Other words from marginal

  • mar·gin·al·i·ty [mahr-juh-nal-i-tee], /ˌmɑr dʒəˈnæl ɪ ti/, noun
  • mar·gin·al·ly, adverb
  • in·ter·mar·gi·nal, adjective
  • su·per·mar·gin·al, adjective
  • trans·mar·gi·nal, adjective
  • un·mar·gin·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for marginal

marginal

/ (ˈmɑːdʒɪnəl) /


adjective
  1. of, in, on, or constituting a margin

  2. close to a limit, esp a lower limit: marginal legal ability

  1. not considered central or important; insignificant, minor, small

  2. economics relating to goods or services produced and sold at the margin of profitability: marginal cost

  3. politics, mainly British and NZ of or designating a constituency in which elections tend to be won by small margins: a marginal seat

  4. designating agricultural land on the margin of cultivated zones

  5. economics relating to a small change in something, such as total cost, revenue, or consumer satisfaction

noun
  1. politics, mainly British and NZ a marginal constituency

Derived forms of marginal

  • marginality (ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnælɪtɪ), noun
  • marginally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012