marginal

[ mahr-juh-nl ]

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. of minor importance, significance, relevance, or effect: Grids using even larger voltages are now being constructed, but will probably make only a marginal improvement in costs.

   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.

6. Sociology.
   1. 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.

   2. 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.

7. 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.

8. Economics.
   1. selling goods at a price that just equals the additional cost of producing the last unit supplied.
   2. of or relating to goods produced and marketed at margin:

      marginal profits.

marginal

/ ˌmɑːdʒɪˈnælɪtɪ; ˈmɑːdʒɪnəl /

adjective

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. 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

noun

1. politics a marginal constituency

Derived Forms

• marginality, noun
• ˈmarginally, adverb

Other Words From

• mar·gin·al·i·ty [mahr-j, uh, -, nal, -i-tee], 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of marginal¹

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

Example Sentences

Some of the folks arguing against the change said that this disastrous year of pandemic-style school is the wrong time to prioritize more days off, after F’s skyrocketed and learning has been marginal.

From Washington Post

Even if life had originated only on Earth, it need not remain a marginal, trivial feature of the cosmos.

From Nautilus

Beckmann encourages injured athletes to keep in mind that marginal differences in body weight are typical across a season for most people, and similar to a postseason break, your body will normalize once you’ve returned to full training.

From Outside Online

In hindsight, we should’ve communicated this in our snowfall map, something we’ll try to do next time when temperatures are marginal for accumulation.

From Washington Post

These objects that general relativity predicted, that were mathematical curiosities, became real, then they were marginal.

From Science News

Both are considered marginal figures in the House GOP caucus and have no real base of support for their respective bids.

From The Daily Beast

Dynamism is increasingly driven not by economies of scale but by competitively driven marginal improvements.

From The Daily Beast

The play of Sunday, the play of being angels in the choir, is not just a peripheral secondary marginal realm of activity.

From The Daily Beast

Coping with drought and marginal soils was a continual struggle.

From The Daily Beast

And those who are—like Pat Buchanan—are more marginal figures than ever.

From The Daily Beast

This section is not expressly confined to wandering persons, but the marginal note confines it to the "occasional poor."

From Project Gutenberg

Postmarginal vein a little longer than the slender, curved stigmal, about a third the length of the marginal.

From Project Gutenberg

The marginal reading, "Strike thee with six plagues" or "draw thee back with a hook of six teeth" is incorrect.

From Project Gutenberg

He made frequent marginal notes along the pages of the world's moral history—notes not always quotable in the family circle.

From Project Gutenberg

The only change made here is the placing of Aubreys marginal notes among the footnotes: the spelling is Aubreys spelling.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• insignificant
• minimal
• minor
• negligible