mar·gin (mär?j?n)n.1. An edge and the area immediately adjacent to it; a border. See Synonyms at border.2. The blank space bordering the written or printed area on a page.3. A limit in a condition or process, beyond or below which something is no longer possible or acceptable: the margin of reality; has crossed the margin of civilized behavior.4. An amount allowed beyond what is needed: a small margin of safety. See Synonyms at room.5. A measure, quantity, or degree of difference: a margin of 500 votes.6. Economics a. The minimum return that an enterprise may earn and still pay for itself.b. The difference between the cost and the selling price of securities or commodities.c. The difference between the market value of collateral and the face value of a loan.7. An amount in money, or represented by securities, deposited by a customer with a broker as a provision against loss on transactions made on account.8. Botany The border of a leaf.tr.v. mar·gined, mar·gin·ing, mar·gins 1. To provide with a margin.2. To be a margin to; border.3. To inscribe or enter in the margin of a page.4. Economics a. To add margin to: margin up a brokerage account.b. To deposit margin for: margin a transaction.c. To buy or hold (securities) by depositing or adding to a margin.[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin marg?, margin-; see merg- in Indo-European roots.]mar?gined adj.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.margin (?m??d??n) or archaic margentn1. an edge or rim, and the area immediately adjacent to it; border2. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) the blank space surrounding the text on a page3. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a vertical line on a page, esp one on the left-hand side, delineating this space4. an additional amount or one beyond the minimum necessary: a margin of error. 5. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) chiefly Austral a payment made in addition to a basic wage, esp for special skill or responsibility6. a bound or limit7. the amount by which one thing differs from another: a large margin separated the parties. 8. (Commerce) commerce the profit on a transaction9. (Economics) economics the minimum return below which an enterprise becomes unprofitable10. (Banking & Finance) finance a. collateral deposited by a client with a broker as securityb. the excess of the value of a loan’s collateral over the value of the loanvb (tr) 11. to provide with a margin; border12. (Banking & Finance) finance to deposit a margin upon[C14: from Latin marg? border; related to march2, mark1]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014mar?gin (?m?r d??n) n. 1. the space around the printed or written matter on a page. 2. a border; edge. 3. an amount allowed or available beyond what is necessary: margin for error. 4. a limit beyond or below which something ceases to exist or to be desirable or possible: the margin of endurance. 5. an amount or degree of difference: to win by a margin of three votes. 6. a. security, usu. a percentage of a transaction, that a client deposits with a broker as a provision against loss. b. the amount representing the client’s investment or equity in such an account. 7. the difference between the amount of a loan and the market value of the collateral pledged as security for it. 8. the difference between the cost of merchandise and the net sales. 9. the point at which the return from economic activity barely covers the cost of production and below which production is unprofitable. v.t. 10. to provide with a margin or border. 11. to enter in the margin, as of a book. 12. a. to deposit a margin upon: to margin an account. b. to purchase (securities) on margin. [1350?1400; Middle English