mar|gin|al «MAHR juh nuhl», adjective, noun.
–adj.
1. written or printed in a margin: »
a marginal comment.
2. of or in a margin: »
marginal space.
3. on or near the margin: »
Marginal land is barely fit for farming.
4. Figurative. existing or occurring on the fringes of anything established; only partly taken in: »
a marginal culture.
5. a) barely producing or capable of producing, as goods or crops, at a profitable rate: »
The small, inefficient or marginal farmer (New Yorker).
b) of, having to do with, or obtained from goods or crops that are so produced and marketed: »marginal income. Britain's current economic problem is marginal (Newsweek).
6. Sociology. only partially assimilated in a social group: »
The marginal man is the person who belongs to two or more cultures but is not fully accepted in any (Emory S. Bogardus).
–n.
Especially British. a constituency where the results of an election might favor either party: »
Of five by-elections pending, two are in marginals (Sunday Times).
–mar´gin|al|ly, adverb.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.