marginality

[ mahr-juh-nal-i-tee ]

noun
  1. Sociology. the state or condition of being isolated from and not fully accepted by the dominant society or culture, and therefore frequently disadvantaged: The marginality of certain groups has specific consequences when it comes to the social impact of any natural disaster.

  2. the state or condition of being outside the mainstream or far from the center of activity, attention, etc.: The marginality of the location makes it difficult for residents to have easy access to facilities and jobs.He had his fans, despite the marginality of his art.

  1. the quality or condition of being at the outer or lower limits of adequacy for survival, success, viability, etc.: Even if the climate was more benign during the time of the Norse settlements, the marginality of life in Greenland can be appreciated.

  2. the quality or state of being of minor importance, relevance, or effect: Experts say the terrorist organization’s weaknesses will soon cause it to decay into marginality anyway.

Origin of marginality

1
First recorded in 1845–55; marginal + -ity

Words Nearby marginality

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

How to use marginality in a sentence