mar·gin /'mär-jən/ n
1: the difference between net sales and the cost of the merchandise sold from which expenses are usu. met or profits derived
2: the amount by which the market value of collateral is greater than the face value of a loan
3 a: cash or collateral deposited in a regulated amount by a client with a broker who is financing the purchase of securities see also regulation t
b: a deposit made with a broker by a client who is trading in futures
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.