Spanish Conversation · Level 92
60 words
Spanish word
marginal
Pronunciation
IPA/maɾxiˈnal/
Meaning
- adjectiveslight
Example
Hubo una mejora marginal en las ventas este mes.
There was a slight improvement in sales this month.
More examples
El impacto fue marginal en la decisión final.
The impact was slight in the final decision.
Core concept
A tiny notch at the edge of a page.
Common phrases
mejora marginal
slight improvement
impacto marginal
slight impact
cambio marginal
slight change
Similar words
poco: Limited in amount or degree; only a little present.
insignificante: Extremely small in significance or impact, effectively negligible.
escaso: Deficient in amount or supply; not enough to meet demand.
Definition in Spanish
Indica una cantidad o una diferencia muy pequeña, de poca importancia en el contexto.
Word origin
From Latin margo 'edge' via medieval Latin marginalis, originally meaning 'at the margin' and later applied to things that are small or of little consequence.
Usage tips
- 'Marginal' often labels a very small change in reports, while in social descriptions it can mean peripheral or socially sidelined, so context determines whether it means 'slight' or 'on the margins'.
Other meanings
- insignificantadjective
- peripheraladjective
- borderlineadjective
Opposites
- significativosignificantadjective
- centralcentraladjective
Related words
- marginalidadmarginalitynoun
- marginalmentemarginallyadverb
- marginalizarmarginalizeverb