marginal

adjective

mar·​gin·​al ˈmärj-nəl 

ˈmär-jə-nᵊl

1

: written or printed in the margin of a page or sheet

marginal notes

2

a

: of, relating to, or situated at a margin or border

b

: not of central importance

regards violence as a marginal rather than a central problem

also : limited in extent, significance, or stature

had only marginal success with the business

c(1)

: occupying the borderland of a relatively stable territorial or cultural area

marginal tribes

(2)

: characterized by the incorporation of habits and values from two divergent (see divergent sense 1) cultures and by incomplete assimilation (see assimilate entry 1 sense 2a) in either

the marginal cultural habits of new immigrant groups

(3)

: excluded from or existing outside the mainstream of society, a group, or a school of thought

marginal voters

3

: located at the fringe of consciousness

marginal sensations

4

a

: close to the lower limit of qualification, acceptability, or function : barely exceeding the minimum requirements

a semiliterate person of marginal ability

b(1)

: having a character or capacity fitted to yield a supply of goods which when marketed at existing price levels will barely cover the cost of production

marginal land

(2)

: of, relating to, or derived from goods produced and marketed with such result

marginal profits

5

: relating to or being a function of a random variable that is obtained from a function of several random variables by integrating or summing over all possible values of the other variables

a marginal probability function

marginality

ˌmär-jə-ˈna-lə-tē 

noun

marginally

ˈmärj-nə-lē 

ˈmär-jə-nᵊl-ē

adverb

Synonyms of marginal

• frontier

Examples of marginal in a Sentence

There has been only a marginal improvement in her condition.

His reading and writing abilities are marginal.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Storm Prediction Center has placed all the Kansas City forecast area under a marginal risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe storms. — Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

For an executive whose marginal rate is well above 22%, that gap between what's withheld and what's owed becomes a five- or six-figure surprise. — Meredith Moore, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

The doubles pools are practically unchanged from last year, other than marginal boosts to the earlier rounds. — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Under the Bankhead-Jones Act of 1937, the federal government bought millions of acres of marginal farmland to take it out of production. — Sarah Porter, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin marginalis, from Latin margin-, margo

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing marginal

• marginal utility

Rhymes for marginal

• submarginal

Kids Definition

marginal

adjective

mar·​gin·​al ˈmärj-nəl 

-ən-ᵊl

1

: written or printed in the margin

marginal notes

2

: of, relating to, or situated at a margin or border

3

: close to the lower limit of quality

marginal ability

marginal land

marginally

-nə-lē 

-ən-ᵊl-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

marginal

adjective

mar·​gin·​al ˈmärj-nəl, -ən-ᵊl 

1

: of, relating to, or situated at a margin or border

2

: located at the fringe of consciousness

marginal sensations