1. marginal(s = adj.all) fringy - at or constituting a border or edge; "the marginal strip of beach"
Derived forms noun margin1, noun marginality1
2. marginal(s = adj.all) borderline - of questionable or minimal quality; "borderline grades"; "marginal writing ability"
3. marginal(s = adj.all) bare - just barely adequate or within a lower limit; "a bare majority"; "a marginal victory"
4. marginal(s = adj.all) - producing at a rate that barely covers production costs; "marginal industries"
1. Of or pertaining to a margin. [1913 Webster]
2. Written or printed in the margin; as, a marginal note or gloss. [1913 Webster]
3. At the lower limit; barely sufficient; as, of marginal utility. [PJC]
marginal, adj.
1 a of or written in a margin. b having marginal notes.
2 a of or at the edge; not central. b not significant or decisive (the work is of merely marginal interest).
3 Brit. (of a parliamentary seat or constituency) having a small majority at risk in an election.
4 close to the limit, esp. of profitability.
5 (of the sea) adjacent to the shore of a State.
6 (of land) difficult to cultivate; unprofitable.
7 barely adequate; unprovided for.
Idiom:
marginal cost the cost added by making one extra copy etc.
Derivative:
marginality n. marginally adv.
Etymology:
med.L marginalis (as MARGIN)
N edge, verge, brink, brow, brim, margin, border, confine, skirt, rim, flange, side, mouth, jaws, chops, chaps, fauces, lip, muzzle, threshold, door, porch, portal, coast, shore, frame, fringe, flounce, frill, list, trimming, edging, skirting, hem, selvedge, welt, furbelow, valance, gimp, border, marginal, skirting, labial, labiated, marginated.
marginal cost, marginal cost of production, marginal placentation, marginal utility, marginal wood fern