marginal
“marginal” means “marginalized” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
marginalized, underprivileged
Also: fringe
📝 In Action
Muchos jóvenes viven en barrios marginales con pocos recursos.
B1Many young people live in marginalized neighborhoods with few resources.
El gobierno busca integrar a los grupos marginales.
B2The government seeks to integrate marginalized groups.
Es una zona marginal de la ciudad donde no llega el transporte.
B1It is an underprivileged area of the city where transport doesn't reach.
minor, insignificant
Also: marginal
📝 In Action
Hubo una mejora marginal en las ventas este mes.
B2There was a marginal improvement in sales this month.
El costo marginal de producción es muy bajo.
C1The marginal cost of production is very low.
Escribió una nota marginal en el libro.
B2He wrote a marginal note (a note in the margin) in the book.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "marginal" in Spanish:
fringe→insignificant→marginal→marginalized→minor→underprivileged→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: marginal
Question 1 of 3
Which phrase describes a neighborhood where people live in poverty?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'marginalis,' which comes from 'margo' (meaning edge or border).
First recorded: 15th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'marginal' have a negative meaning?
Often, yes. When referring to people or neighborhoods, it usually implies poverty or social exclusion. However, in business or math, it is a neutral term meaning 'incremental' or 'minor'.
Is it 'el marginal' or 'la marginal'?
Since it's an adjective ending in -l, it stays the same for both. If you use it as a noun to describe a person, you use the article that matches their gender: 'el marginal' (m) or 'la marginal' (f).
How do you pronounce the 'g'?
The 'g' in 'marginal' is followed by an 'i', so it makes a breathy 'h' sound, like in the English word 'hot' but a bit stronger from the throat.