margin
MAH-jihn
Margin (noun) means the blank space at the edge of a page. Example: “Leave a wide margin on the left so the pages can be bound.”
noun
1
The blank space at the edge of a page.
"Leave a wide margin on the left so the pages can be bound."
"The teacher wrote a comment in the margin beside my answer."
"She scribbled notes in the margin of her textbook."
2
The difference between two amounts, especially the profit left after costs.
"The café's margin on a cup of tea is much higher than on a meal."
"The store operates on a thin profit margin."
"He won the election by a narrow margin."
3
Money deposited with a broker as collateral for buying securities on credit.
"Her broker asked her to add more margin after the shares dropped sharply."
"You need enough margin in your account before you can borrow to buy shares."
"She was trading on margin and lost heavily when the stock fell."
How to use margin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBroadly, an edge or a gap — of a page, a result, or a profit.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
profit margin
narrow margin
margin of error
trade on margin
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Word forms
- Plural
- margins
- Third person singular
- margins
- Past tense
- margined
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Leave a wide _____ on the left so the pages can be bound.
Etymology
From Latin margō ("edge, border"), via Old French — a doublet of marge and margo.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “margin” mean?
The word “margin” means the blank space at the edge of a page. In plain terms, broadly, an edge or a gap — of a page, a result, or a profit.
How do you pronounce “margin”?
“Margin” is pronounced MAH-jihn (/ˈmɑɹ.d͡ʒɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “margin” in a sentence?
Here is “margin” used in a sentence: “She scribbled notes in the margin of her textbook.”
What part of speech is “margin”?
“Margin” is a noun.
Where does the word “margin” come from?
The word “margin” comes from Latin. From Latin margō ("edge, border"), via Old French — a doublet of marge and margo.
Is “margin” a common word?
“Margin” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “margin” have?
“Margin” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the blank space at the edge of a page.
What is the difference between "margin" and "border"?
A margin is the blank space at the edge of a page, while a border is a visible line or band around the edge of something. A margin is empty space, whereas a border is usually a marked or decorative edge.
What is the difference between "margin" and "profit"?
Profit is the actual money left after costs, while margin usually expresses that profit as a proportion, often a percentage of sales or revenue. A business can have a large profit but a small margin, or the reverse.
What is the difference between "margin" and "markup"?
Margin measures profit as a percentage of the selling price, while markup measures the amount added to the cost price as a percentage of the cost. The same amount of money produces different figures depending on which measure you use.
What are common collocations with "margin"?
Common phrases include "profit margin," "narrow margin," "by a margin," "margin of error," and "wide margins." These draw on both the page-edge sense and the difference-between-amounts sense.
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