submarginal

[ suhb-mahr-juh-nl ]

/ sʌbˈmɑr dʒə nl /

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adjective

Biology. near the margin.

below the margin.

not worth cultivating, as land; less than satisfactory; unproductive.

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Origin of submarginal

First recorded in 1820–30; sub- + marginal

OTHER WORDS FROM submarginal

sub·mar·gin·al·ly, adverb

Words nearby submarginal

submandibular duct, submandibular fovea, submandibular ganglion, submandibular gland, submandibular triangle, submarginal, submarine, submarine chaser, submariner, submarining, submatrix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use submarginal in a sentence

Except that the yellowish submarginal line is sometimes obscured, the species is very constant in the British Isles.
The Moths of the British Isles, First Series|Richard South
The W-like angles of the white submarginal line run through to the fringes.
The Moths of the British Isles, First Series|Richard South
A series of yellow dots on the submarginal line is almost always present, but may be absent.
The Moths of the British Isles, First Series|Richard South
In some specimens the markings are very faint, and, excepting the whitish submarginal line, are hardly visible.
The Moths of the British Isles, First Series|Richard South

The submarginal and subapical spots are silvered, especially the latter.
The Butterfly Book|William Jacob Holland

British Dictionary definitions for submarginal

submarginal

/ (sʌbˈmɑːdʒɪnəl) /

adjective

below the minimum requirements

situated close to the margin of an organ or part

(of land) infertile and unprofitable for cultivation

Derived forms of submarginal

submarginally, 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