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margin call

American

noun

Stock Exchange.

a demand from a brokerage house to a customer that more money or securities be deposited in their margin account when the amount in it falls below that stipulated as necessary to cover the stock purchased.

Etymology

Origin of margin call

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

margin call

However, if the stocks fall past an agreed level it can trigger what is known as a margin call - when a broker demands payment of the debt.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

It was on July 30, according to the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets, that Citadel purchased Situational Awareness’s portfolio of public equities, so the hedge fund could meet a margin call.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

That drop in valuations also appears to have led to his facing a margin call on a loan he used for other investments.

From New York Times ● Apr. 6, 2023

Canada’s steep rise in interest rates is akin to a national margin call, especially among homebuyers who took advantage of rock-bottom rates offered by adjustable mortgages.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 7, 2023

We don’t know if it’s because he got a margin call.

From Slate ● Jan. 18, 2023

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023