ETYM Old Eng. margine, margent, Latin margo, ginis. Related to March a border, Marge.
1. The amount of collateral a customer deposits with a broker when borrowing from the broker to buy securities; SYN. security deposit.
2. The blank space that surrounds the text on a page.
3. The boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary; SYN. border, perimeter.
Commercial, deposit of cash held by broker as security or installment of purchase price; amount remaining to, or to be paid by, client at termination of account; profit; minimum return required for profitability.
Economics, minimum usefulness that will cause production of commodity, etc., to continue.
In finance, the difference between cost and selling price; also cash or collateral on deposit with a broker or lender to meet legal requirements against loss, as when stocks and other securities have been financed by funds supplied by the lender.
Margin accounts were set at 10% of the selling price before the stock market crash of 1929. Since the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission 1934, margin was set at 50%.

In printing, those portions of a page—top, bottom, and sides—outside the main body of text.

1. To provide with an edging or border; to form a margin to; border
2. To add margin to; to use as margin; to provide margin for; to buy (securities) on margin