marginalization
|mar-gi-nal-i-za-tion|
🇺🇸
/ˌmɑrdʒɪnələˈzeɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˌmɑːdʒɪn(ə)laɪˈzeɪʃən/
push to the edge
Etymology
'marginalization' originates from Modern English, specifically from the verb 'marginalize' plus the nominalizing suffix '-ation'; 'marginalize' derives from the adjective 'marginal', which ultimately traces to Latin 'margō, marginis' meaning 'edge, border'.
'marginalization' developed from Middle English and Old French roots: Latin 'margō/ margin-' ('edge') → Old French 'marge'/'marginal' → Middle English 'margin' and adjective 'marginal' → verb 'marginalize' (English, formed in the 19th century) → noun 'marginalization' (English, later formation).
Initially related to the physical 'edge' or 'border', the sense shifted to figurative uses (things or people at the edge of concern or influence) and then to the action of placing at the edge—i.e., exclusion or rendering peripheral, which is the modern primary meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or result of making a person, group, or thing marginal — i.e., pushing them to the social, economic, or political edge and excluding them from full participation.
The marginalization of rural communities has contributed to population decline and loss of services.
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Noun 2
the action of treating an issue, group, or viewpoint as unimportant or of little relevance.
The marginalization of environmental concerns in the policy debate worried many activists.
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Noun 3
in probability and statistics, the process of summing or integrating over one or more variables to obtain a marginal distribution (also called 'marginalizing').
Marginalization over the latent variable yields the observed-data likelihood.
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Last updated: 2025/11/15 16:53