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marginal

   Also found in: Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.
mar·gin·al  (märj-nl)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, located at, or constituting a margin, a border, or an edge: the marginal strip of beach; a marginal issue that had no bearing on the election results.
2. Being adjacent geographically: states marginal to Canada.
3. Written or printed in the margin of a book: marginal notes.
4. Barely within a lower standard or limit of quality: marginal writing ability; eked out a marginal existence.
5. Economics
a. Having to do with enterprises that produce goods or are capable of producing goods at a rate that barely covers production costs.
b. Relating to commodities thus manufactured and sold.
6. Psychology Relating to or located at the fringe of consciousness.
n.
One that is considered to be at a lower or outer limit, as of social acceptability: "is fascinated by marginals, by people who live on the edge of society" Dan Yakir.

margin·ali·ty (-j-nl-t) n.
margin·al·ly adv.

marginal
Adjective
1. of, in, on, or forming a margin
2. not important; insignificant: he remained a rather marginal political figure
3. close to a limit, esp. a lower limit: marginal legal ability
4. Econ 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 edge of fertile areas
Noun
Politics chiefly Brit & NZ a marginal constituency
marginally adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.marginal - at or constituting a border or edge; "the marginal strip of beach"
peripheral - on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary; the outer area; "Russia's peripheral provinces"; "peripheral suburbs"
2.marginal - of questionable or minimal quality; "borderline grades"; "marginal writing ability"
minimal, minimum - the least possible; "needed to enforce minimal standards"; "her grades were minimal"; "minimum wage"; "a minimal charge for the service"
3.marginal - just barely adequate or within a lower limit; "a bare majority"; "a marginal victory"
narrow - very limited in degree; "won by a narrow margin"; "a narrow escape"
4.marginal - producing at a rate that barely covers production costs; "marginal industries"
unprofitable - producing little or no profit or gain; "deposits abandoned by mining companies as unprofitable"

marginal
Translations
Spanish marginal [ˈmɑːdʒɪnl] adjmarginal
French marginal [ˈmɑːdʒɪnl] margin adjmarginal(e);
marginal seat (Pol) → siège disputé

German marginal [ˈmɑːdʒɪnl] margin adjgeringfügig;
(note) → Rand-

Italian marginal [ˈmɑːdʒɪnl] adjmarginale;
marginal seat (POL) → seggio elettorale ottenuto con una stretta maggioranza

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Never had his gold been so golden, his azure so dazzlingly clear and deep as on this particular May morning; while his fancy simply ran riot in the marginal decorations of woodland and spinney, quaint embroidered flowers and copses full of exquisitely painted and wonderfully trained birds of song.
My work on submarine depths, conned over by him, was covered with marginal notes, often contradicting my theories and systems; but the Captain contented himself with thus purging my work; it was very rare for him to discuss it with me.
On the morning appointed for her departure Tess was awake before dawn--at the marginal minute of the dark when the grove is still mute, save for one prophetic bird who sings with a clear-voiced conviction that he at least knows the correct time of day, the rest preserving silence as if equally convinced that he is mistaken.
 
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