marginal

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈmɑɹ.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/ UK /ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #29521

Meanings

1

adj
Very small in size or effect; not important.

The new policy had only a marginal impact on sales.
2

adj
Barely good enough; only just adequate.

His writing ability was marginal at best.
3

adj
Located at the edge or border of something.

The marginal land at the edge of the marsh has its own plants.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · very small in size or... borderline

2 adj · barely good enough; only... bare

3 adj · located at the edge or... fringy

Word family

Forms marginals

Derived forms admarginalbimarginalcallosomarginalcingulomarginalcircummarginalcomarginaldorsomarginalectomarginalendomarginalepimarginalextramarginalfrontomarginal

Related forms margin marginalia

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

marginal utility
the additional benefit obtained from one more unit of a good or service

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin marginālis, equivalent to margin + -al.

marginālis la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# marginal

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɑɹ.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/
**Frequency rank:** 29521

## Meanings
1. Very small in size or effect; not important.
2. Barely good enough; only just adequate.
3. Located at the edge or border of something.

## Examples
- The new policy had only a marginal impact on sales.
- His writing ability was marginal at best.
- The marginal land at the edge of the marsh has its own plants.

## Derived Forms
- admarginal
- bimarginal
- callosomarginal
- cingulomarginal
- circummarginal
- comarginal
- dorsomarginal
- ectomarginal
- endomarginal
- epimarginal
- extramarginal
- frontomarginal

## Related Forms
- margin
- marginalia

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: marginālis

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin marginālis, equivalent to margin + -al.

## AI Etymology
Marginal is a learned borrowing from Medieval Latin marginālis, equivalent to margin + -al. In present-day use, it can mean very small in size or effect; not important, or barely good enough; only just adequate. Derived formations include admarginal, bimarginal, callosomarginal, cingulomarginal, and circummarginal.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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