margin

[ mahr-jin ]

noun

1. the space around the printed or written matter on a page.
2. an amount allowed or available beyond what is actually necessary:

   to allow a margin for error.

3. a limit in condition, capacity, etc., beyond or below which something ceases to exist, be desirable, or be possible:

   the margin of endurance; the margin of sanity.

   Synonyms: bound, confine

4. a border or edge.

   Synonyms: brink, verge, rim

   Antonyms: center

5. Philately. selvage ( def 3 ).
6. Finance.
   1. security, as a percentage in money, deposited with a broker by a client as a provision against loss on transactions.
   2. the amount representing the customer's investment or equity in such an account.
7. the difference between the amount of a loan and the market value of the collateral pledged as security for it.
8. Commerce. the difference between the cost and the selling price.
9. an amount or degree of difference:

   The measure passed by a margin of just three votes.

10. Economics. the point at which the return from economic activity barely covers the cost of production, and below which production is unprofitable.
11. Entomology. the border of an insect's wing.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide with a margin or border.
2. to furnish with marginal notes, as a document.
3. to enter in the margin, as of a book.
4. Finance. to deposit a margin upon.
5. Stock Exchange. to purchase (securities) on margin:

   That stock was heavily margined during the last month.

margin

/ ˈmɑːdʒɪn; ˈmɑːdʒənt /

noun

1. an edge or rim, and the area immediately adjacent to it; border
2. the blank space surrounding the text on a page
3. a vertical line on a page, esp one on the left-hand side, delineating this space
4. an additional amount or one beyond the minimum necessary

   a margin of error

5. a payment made in addition to a basic wage, esp for special skill or responsibility
6. a bound or limit
7. the amount by which one thing differs from another

   a large margin separated the parties

8. commerce the profit on a transaction
9. economics the minimum return below which an enterprise becomes unprofitable
10. finance
    1. collateral deposited by a client with a broker as security
    2. the excess of the value of a loan's collateral over the value of the loan

verb

1. to provide with a margin; border
2. finance to deposit a margin upon

Word History and Origins

Origin of margin¹

1300–50; Middle English < Latin margin- (stem of margō ) border; akin to march ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of margin¹

C14: from Latin margō border; related to march ², mark ¹

Synonym Study

See edge.

Example Sentences

If the current margin of roughly 2.4 million votes holds, it will be the closest margin of victory since the contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000.

From Salon

In practicality, many importers incur these costs themselves and then pass some of these costs onto consumers so that these businesses can maintain healthy profit margins.

From Salon

Supermarkets employ large numbers of people and profit margins are slim.

From BBC

After two weeks of postelection uncertainty, Proposition 32, the initiative to increase the state’s minimum wage to $18 an hour, was defeated by a narrow margin.

From Los Angeles Times

Higher tariffs, which Trump can enact without approval from Congress, would mean manufacturers will either pass prices onto consumers or lower their profit margins, which affects investor enthusiasm.

From Salon

Related Words

• edge
• limit
• surplus