- small and not important synonym slight
- a marginal improvement in weather conditions
- The story will only be of marginal interest to our readers.
- The difference between the two estimates is marginal.
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- (economics) (of costs and benefits) relating to or resulting from small changes
- All three companies reported marginal revenue growth.
- not part of a main or important group or situation
- marginal groups in society
- Welsh was considered a marginal language.
- (especially British English, politics) won or lost by a very small number of votes and therefore very important or interesting as evidence of public opinion
- a marginal seat/constituency
Extra ExamplesTopics Politicsc2- Their campaign targeted marginal constituencies.
- They risk losing key marginal seats at the next election.
- [only before noun] written in the margin of a page
- marginal notes/comments
- (of land) that cannot produce enough good crops to make a profitTopics Farmingc2
Word Originlate 16th cent.: from medieval Latin marginalis, from margo, margin- ‘edge’.
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marginal