(uncomparable) Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).The marginal area at the edge of the salt-marsh has its own plants.In recent years there has been an increase in violence against marginal groups.
Written in the margin of a book.There were more marginal notes than text.
1999, R. I. Page, Introduction to English Runes, Boydell Press, page 198:The early pages had marginal notes most of which were lost when rats nibbled away the manuscript edges.
(comparable) Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.
Of a value, or having a characteristic that is of a value, that is close to being unacceptable or leading to exclusion from a group or category.His writing ability was marginal at best.''Having reviewed the test, there are two students below the required standard and three more who are marginal.
(politics, chiefly UK, Australia, NZ, of a constituency) Subject to a change in sitting member with only a small change in voting behaviour, this usually being inferred from the small winning margin of the previous election.In Bristol West, Labour had a majority of only 1,000, so the seat is considered highly marginal this time around.
