Referring to the edge or border of a leaf. as in marginal burning; also. the lower limit of acceptable conditions. as in marginal soil

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
marginal (adjective)
1.
written or printed in the of a page or sheet - margin marginal notes
2.
a) of, relating to, or situated at a margin or border
b) not of central importance - regards violence as a marginal rather than a central problem , also limited in extent, significance, or stature - had only marginal success with the business
c) (1) occupying the borderland of a relatively stable territorial or cultural area - marginal tribes
(2) characterized by the incorporation of habits and values from two divergent cultures and by incomplete assimilation in either - the marginal cultural habits of new immigrant groups
(3) excluded from or existing outside the mainstream of society, a group, or a school of thought - marginal voters
3.
located at the fringe of consciousness - marginal sensations
4.
a) close to the lower limit of qualification, acceptability, or function barely exceeding the minimum requirements - a semiliterate person of marginal ability
b) (1) having a character or capacity fitted to yield a supply of goods which when marketed at existing price levels will barely cover the cost of production - marginal land
(2) of, relating to, or derived from goods produced and marketed with such result - marginal profits
5.
relating to or being a function of a random variable that is obtained from a function of several random variables by integrating or summing over all possible values of the other variables - a marginal probability function
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