Margin

Etymology

From Latin "margo" (edge, border), the same word that names the blank border of a page. Merchants recorded the gap between cost and selling price in the margin of their ledgers, and the figure took the name of the space it was written in — the edge between what you pay and what you charge.

noun · /MAR-jin/
The share of a sale that is profit, expressed as a percentage of the price.
What it names
The measure of how much of each dollar of sales a business actually keeps — the efficiency of profit, not its size.
Example
The luxury brand sold fewer units than its rival but survived on a far higher margin.
Related idea
Distinguish markup: markup measures profit against the cost of an item, while margin measures it against the selling price — the same deal looks like a larger markup and a smaller margin, which is how sellers can quote the flattering number.
noun · /MAR-jin/
The blank border around the text on a page.
What it names
the empty edge of a page
Example
She scribbled notes in the margin.
Related idea
The literal white edge of a page, where notes get scribbled and printers leave room; it shares only the idea of an ‘edge’ with the profit margin and the margin of room to spare.
noun · /MAR-jin/
An amount by which something exceeds or falls short; room to spare.
What it names
a measured gap or allowance
Example
She won by a wide margin; leave a margin for error.
Related idea
Compare tolerance.