marginaladj/ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/

• 1

  Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).

  • 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.
• 2

  Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).

  • There were more marginal notes than text.
  • The early pages had marginal notes most of which were lost when rats nibbled away the manuscript edges.
• 3

  geographynatural-sciencesOf, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).

  • Monmouthshire is a Welsh county marginal to England.
• 4

  Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.

  • His writing ability was marginal at best.
  • Having reviewed the test, there are two students below the required standard and three more who are marginal.
• 5

  Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.

  • He farmed his marginal land with difficulty.
• 6

  governmentpoliticsDetermined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.

  • In Bristol West, Labour had a majority of only 1,000, so the seat is considered highly marginal this time around.
  • In ‘battleground’ seats with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrat vote shares increased most in the most marginal seats.
• 7

  economicssciencesPertaining to changes resulting from a unit increase in production or consumption of a good.

• 8

  human-sciencessciencessocial-scienceMarginalized.

  • The caseworker couldn't understand how I could have stretched out my last bit of money for so long. She seemed convinced that I was "hiding" income from her and interrogated me for I don't know how long. […] The system seems based on the assumption that people are "welfare cheats." If you don't speak English or are marginal in some other way, it's worse.

marginalnoun/ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/

• 1

  Something or somebody that is marginal.

  • […] 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 ...
• 2

  governmentpoliticsA constituency won with a small margin.