margin
UK[ˈmɑːdʒɪn]US[ˈmɑːrdʒɪn]
n
the empty space at the side of a written or printed page
n
an amount by which one thing is different from or better than another
n
the amount of votes, points, etc. by which a person or group wins something
n
the difference between the cost of producing something and the price at which it is sold
Morpheme Breakdown
marg
in
marg
edge, border
in
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'margin' originates from the Latin margo, meaning "edge, border, or brink." This Latin term is believed to have descended from the Proto-Indo-European root merg-, which carried the sense of a boundary or border. The concept traveled into Middle English via Anglo-Norman and Old French (marge), retaining its core meaning of an edge. Over time, the application of this physical boundary concept expanded metaphorically into various domains, such as commerce (profit margin), competition (winning margin), and abstract difference (margin of error), while still preserving its original reference to the blank border of a page.
Analysis
Structure: marg (edge, border) + in (noun suffix)
- marg: From Latin margo (edge, border, brink). Serves as the core root conveying the sense of a boundary or edge.
- in: A common English noun suffix, often derived from Latin -inus or -ina, indicating a state, condition, or thing related to the root. In this word, it functions to form a concrete noun from the root concept.
Examples
She wrote her notes in the margin of the textbook.
They won the election by a narrow margin of just five hundred votes.
The company operates on very thin profit margins.