marginality: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Academic, Social Sciences
Quick answer
What does “marginality” mean?
The state of being at the edge or periphery of a group, system, or society.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The state of being at the edge or periphery of a group, system, or society; lack of importance or centrality.
The condition of being excluded from dominant social, economic, or cultural processes; a sociological concept describing the experience of groups or individuals existing on the margins of mainstream society, often facing limited access to resources and power.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent. The concept is equally common in academic discourse in both varieties.
Connotations
In both, it carries neutral-to-negative connotations related to exclusion or insignificance. In critical social theory, it can have a more specific, analytical meaning.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American academic writing, but the difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “marginality” in a Sentence
the marginality of [GROUP/CONCEPT]to experience/face marginalityto reduce/combat/address marginalityVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “marginality” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The policy risks marginalising entire communities.
- Those views have been increasingly marginalised in public debate.
American English
- The policy risks marginalizing entire communities.
- Those views have been increasingly marginalized in public debate.
adverb
British English
- The new evidence only marginally affected the outcome.
- The team improved marginally in the second half.
American English
- The new evidence only marginally affected the outcome.
- The team improved marginally in the second half.
adjective
British English
- The marginal groups protested the new law.
- The economic benefit was only marginal.
American English
- The marginal groups protested the new law.
- The economic benefit was only marginal.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to low-profit product lines or customer segments with negligible impact on overall results. ('The marginality of that product line led to its discontinuation.')
Academic
A key term in sociology, anthropology, and post-colonial studies to analyze power structures and social exclusion.
Everyday
Rarely used in casual conversation. Might be used to describe feeling left out of a social group.
Technical
In statistics, refers to properties of marginal distributions. In ecology, can describe species at the edge of their habitat range.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “marginality”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “marginality”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “marginality”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'He faced many marginalities' – use 'forms of marginality' instead).
- Confusing 'marginality' with 'marginalization' (the latter is the *process* of making someone marginal).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Marginality' is the *state or condition* of being marginal. 'Marginalization' is the *social process or action* that causes someone or something to become marginal.
Rarely. In some critical theories, being on the 'margins' can be a position from which to critique the mainstream, but the term itself is neutral-to-negative, describing a lack of power or centrality.
No. It is primarily an academic and formal term. In everyday speech, people are more likely to use phrases like 'being left out', 'feeling like an outsider', or 'not being important'.
The primary adjective is 'marginal'. 'Marginalised/marginalized' is the adjective derived from the verb, meaning 'made to be marginal'.
The state of being at the edge or periphery of a group, system, or society.
Marginality is usually formal, academic, social sciences in register.
Marginality: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɑː.dʒɪˈnæl.ə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɑːr.dʒɪˈnæl.ə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[to live/be] on the margins (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MARGIN in a notebook—the empty space at the edge. MARGINALITY is the state of being in that social or economic 'empty space,' away from the central text of society.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A PAGE (central groups are the main text, marginalised groups are in the margins). IMPORTANCE IS CENTRALITY (unimportant things are pushed to the edges).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'marginality' be LEAST appropriate?