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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Margin: Definition, Common Uses & Examples (3 meaning)

Meaning 1：the blank space around text (margin)

margin 🔊

/ˈmɑːrdʒɪn/

The blank space around the writing or pictures on a page.

Margin illustration showing blank space beside notebook text

the blank space around text 🔊

➕

/ðə blæŋk speɪs əˈraʊnd tekst/

The area on a page where no text or images are printed or written. It surrounds the main content and provides visual breathing room and space for notes.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'margo' meaning 'edge, brink, border'. The Latin word itself possibly derives from Proto-Indo-European root *(s)merg-, related to 'boundary' or 'mark'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a MAGAZINE. The MARGIN is the empty space around the main article text, keeping the words from spilling over the edge.

📖 Example

Remember to leave a margin on the left side of your notebook for making corrections. 🔊 Always set aside a blank border on the left side of your notebook page where you can later write corrections.

🔗 Collocations

wide margin – a large blank space around the text

narrow margin – a small blank space around the text

set the margins – to adjust or define the size of the blank borders in a document

🔄 Synonyms

border (n.) – an outer part or edge of something, especially one that is decorative or serves as a boundary

edge (n.) – the outer or furthest point of something, forming a line where it stops

🚫 Antonyms

center (n.) – the middle point of a space or area

🌱 Derivatives

marginal (adj.) – relating to or situated at the edge or margin; of secondary or minor importance

marginalize (v.) – to treat a person or group as insignificant or peripheral

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'margin' entered English around the 14th century from Old French 'marge', itself from Latin 'margo'. Its primary sense, the 'edge or border of a surface', has remained remarkably consistent. In modern English culture, the term has found specialized importance in academic and publishing contexts, where adhering to specific 'margin' formatting rules is essential for essays, theses, and manuscripts. Furthermore, in business and finance, the concept of 'profit margin' is a fundamental and universally understood metric of success.

Meaning 2：the difference between two amounts (margin)

margin 🔊

/ˈmɑːrdʒɪn/

The difference between two amounts, such as cost and price, or the scores in a game.

Profit margin infographic comparing selling price and cost

the difference between two amounts 🔊

➕

/ðə ˈdɪfrəns bɪˈtwiːn tuː əˈmaʊnts/

The amount or degree by which one thing, such as a price, quantity, or score, differs from another. It often indicates a gap, surplus, or measure of success.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The company's profit margin has increased this year because they reduced production costs. 🔊 The amount by which the company's revenue exceeds its costs has grown this year as a result of lowering production expenses.

🔗 Collocations

profit margin – the percentage of revenue that exceeds the costs, representing net profit

narrow margin – a very small difference between two amounts, often a close win

by a margin of – used to specify the size of the difference, especially in voting or sports

🔄 Synonyms

difference (n.) – the amount by which one quantity is greater or less than another

gap (n.) – a difference, especially an undesirable one, between two views or situations

surplus (n.) – an amount of something left over when requirements have been met

🚫 Antonyms

equality (n.) – the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or value; no difference

🌱 Derivatives

marginal (adj.) – relating to or resulting from a small difference; barely sufficient

Meaning 3：the outer edge or border (margin)

margin 🔊

/ˈmɑːrdʒɪn/

The outer edge or border of a place or thing.

Landscape photo showing the margin between a forest and a field

the outer edge or border 🔊

➕

/ði ˈaʊtər edʒ ɔːr ˈbɔːrdər/

The extreme outer limit or boundary of a physical area or object. It is the transitional line between one space and another.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

We set up our picnic blanket at the margin of the forest, enjoying the sunshine in the open field. 🔊 We placed our picnic blanket right at the border where the forest ends and the open field begins, allowing us to enjoy the sunny area.

🔗 Collocations

continental margin – the underwater edge of a continent, including the shelf, slope, and rise

lake margin – the land area that borders a lake

🔄 Synonyms

edge (n.) – the outside limit of an object, area, or surface

border (n.) – the line that divides two countries or areas; the edge or boundary of something

perimeter (n.) – the continuous line forming the boundary of a closed geometric figure or area

🚫 Antonyms

interior (n.) – the inner part or inside of something

heart (n.) – the central or most important part of something

🌱 Derivatives

marginal (adj.) – relating to or situated at the edge or margin of something