margin

/ˈmɑrdʒən/

/ˈmɑdʒɪn/

Other forms: margins

An amount beyond the minimum necessary is called the margin. If you sell craft items, you need to build in a profit margin so that you actually make money on the sale. You'll go broke if you sell mittens for $10 that cost you $15 to make.

The blank space around the edges of a sheet of paper — as with the page of a book — that surrounds the text is called the margin. It serves a few purposes: (1) The paper can be bound into a book without covering up the words; (2) If you are a teacher, student, or editor, you can make comments or notes in the margin. (3) If you're bored in class, you can doodle there.

Definitions of margin

1. noun

   the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary
   synonyms: border, perimeter

   types:

   lip

   either the outer margin or the inner margin of the aperture of a gastropod's shell

   type of:

   bound, boundary, edge

   a line determining the limits of an area
2. noun

   the blank space that surrounds the text on a page
   “he jotted a note in the margin”

   type of:

   blank space, place, space

   a blank area
3. noun

   a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits
   synonyms: allowance, leeway, tolerance

   type of:

   disagreement, discrepancy, divergence, variance

   a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
4. noun

   an amount beyond the minimum necessary
   “the margin of victory”

   types:

   margin of error, margin of safety, safety margin

   the margin required in order to insure safety

   narrow margin, narrowness, slimness

   a small margin

   type of:

   amount

   the relative magnitude of something with reference to a criterion
5. noun

   (finance) the net sales minus the cost of goods and services sold
   synonyms: gross profit, gross profit margin

   type of:

   earnings, lucre, net, net income, net profit, profit, profits

   the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)
6. noun

   the amount of collateral a customer deposits with a broker when borrowing from the broker to buy securities
   synonyms: security deposit

   type of:

   deposit, down payment

   a partial payment made at the time of purchase; the balance to be paid later