small and not having an important effect微小的；少量的；不重要的◆There has been a marginal improvement in retail sales.零售出现小幅度增长。◆The difference between the two estimates is marginal.两个估价之间的差距非常微小。 () [] connected with a single change in the level of an activity边际的◆The company should increase the salary to the point where the marginal benefits equal the marginal cost.公司的加薪幅度应该以边际收益等于边际成本为界限。➡marginal cost , marginal productivity , marginal revenue () that can hardly make enough money to cover the costs of production收入仅敷支出的；微不足道的◆The bigger oil companies can spend money on marginal oil development.大型石油公司可以在利润微薄的石油开采项目上投入资金。◆Marginal companies have been forced to leave the industry.收入仅敷支出的公司被迫退出该行业。not part of a main or an important group or system不重要的；次要的◆They have decided to expand their marginal brands.他们决定拓展其非主流品牌。◆The business has been left with only marginal workers (= for example, people who do not work regularly or all the time).这项业务只留给边缘劳工做。