mar·gin
(mär
j
n)
KEY
NOUN:
- An edge and the area immediately adjacent to it; a border. See Synonyms at border.
- The blank space bordering the written or printed area on a page.
- A limit in a condition or process, beyond or below which something is no longer possible or acceptable:
the margin of reality; has crossed the margin of civilized behavior.
- An amount allowed beyond what is needed:
a small margin of safety.
See Synonyms at room.
- A measure, quantity, or degree of difference:
a margin of 500 votes.
-
Economics
- The minimum return that an enterprise may earn and still pay for itself.
- The difference between the cost and the selling price of securities or commodities.
- The difference between the market value of collateral and the face value of a loan.
- An amount in money, or represented by securities, deposited by a customer with a broker as a provision against loss on transactions made on account.
-
Botany
The border of a leaf.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
mar·gined
,
mar·gin·ing
,
mar·gins
- To provide with a margin.
- To be a margin to; border.
- To inscribe or enter in the margin of a page.
-
Economics
- To add margin to:
margin up a brokerage account.
- To deposit margin for:
margin a transaction.
- To buy or hold (securities) by depositing or adding to a margin.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French, from Latin
marg
, margin-; see
merg- in Indo-European roots
OTHER FORMS:
margined
(Adjective)
