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.

“A very simple rule of thumb for tactical liquidation is when gold and equities crash together, which usually signals margin call / liquidation-esque behavior,” they say.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

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

From Slate • Jan. 18, 2023

Nearly $4 billion worth of Bitcoin in MicroStrategy’s treasury has fallen in value to below $3 billion, and the stock price has slumped ahead of a potential margin call should Bitcoin fall to $21,000.

From New York Times • Jun. 14, 2022

"We could contribute more bitcoin to the collateral package, so ... we don't get into a situation of a margin call," he had said.

From Reuters • Jun. 14, 2022

In a margin call, a broker tells a client to put up cash after it borrowed money to make trades.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 16, 2022

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