marginalized
MAR-jih-nuh-lyzd
/ˈmɑː.dʒɪ.nəl.aɪzd/
Treated as insignificant, peripheral, or powerless within a society or group.
Focuses on social and political exclusion—being pushed to the 'margins' of power, rights, and civic participation.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'margo', meaning 'edge or border' (which also gives us 'margin' on a page). The term moved from paper layout into 20th-century sociology to describe how dominant political classes push minority populations out of the central focus and onto the literal and figurative edges of society.
Word relationships
- excluded: Excluded means shut out entirely; marginalized means kept at the edges where influence is minimized.
- disenfranchised: Disenfranchised specifically highlights the denial of legal rights or voting privileges.
- mainstream: Mainstream represents the dominant, central social or cultural group.
- empowered: Empowered describes having official power, autonomy, and influence.
Commonly confused with
- margined: Margined refers to having a physical border or financial margin, while marginalized specifically means pushed to the political/social edge.
Word family
- marginalize (verb): To relegate to an unimportant position.
- marginalization (noun): The act of relegate or state of being relegate to the social fringe.
Collocations
- marginalized groups
- marginalized communities
- socially marginalized
- marginalized voices
Idioms & expressions
- pushed to the fringes
Example sentences
- "The marginalized are not people living outside society; they have always been inside the structure." Pedagogy & Sociology Citation (Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968))
- "Public transport initiatives must prioritize marginalized communities to ensure access to employment hubs." Urban Policy Document
Memory hook
MARGIN-alized: Written in small notes in the MARGIN of the page, away from the main text of society. Pushed onto the paper's edge, ignored by the main text.
When not to use
Do not confuse with physical borders unless using spatial location as a metaphor for social exclusion.
Fun facts
- Sociologist Robert E. Park introduced the concept of the 'marginal man' in 1928 to study individuals living between two distinct cultural worlds.
Related words
Explore more words
marginalization, marginalize, underprivileged, Ostracism, relegate, alienate
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