Marginal

Quick meaning: Marginal is an adjective meaning (not comparable) Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).

Meaning

(not comparable) Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).

More Meanings

1. (comparable) Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.
2. (economics, not comparable) Pertaining to changes resulting from a unit increase in production or consumption of a good.
3. (sociology) Marginalized.
4. Something or somebody that is marginal.
5. (politics) A constituency won with a small margin.

Example Sentences

The marginal area at the edge of the salt-marsh has its own plants.

In recent years there has been an increase in violence against marginal groups.

[…] discusses those who belong to the discipline's dominant cults, the mainliners, and their relations with the marginals and mavericks.

“We need a saint or some other symbol that will serve to anchor our faith into the foreseeable future. I have watched and waited for a saint but none showed up—not even a marginal saint. Mary is the first one, and we must not allow her .

Word Forms

• marginals

Synonyms for marginal

Depending on context, synonyms include bare, meager, edge, meagre, fringe, narrow.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include peripheral, edge, borderline, narrow, fringy, minimum.

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