2024-12-18 Word of the Day 1D1W - marginalized

Word of the Day: marginalized
This word has appeared in 344 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year. Explore its meaning, usage, and learn how to incorporate it into your own sentences.

marginalized \ ˈmɑrʤənəˌlaɪzd \ adjective

Definition
Marginalized is an adjective derived from the verb marginalize, meaning "to push someone or something to the margins" or "to exclude them from the center of power or opportunity." It describes individuals or groups who are overlooked, oppressed, or deprived of equal participation in society.

Synonyms

• Excluded
• Oppressed
• Alienated

Antonyms

• Included
• Empowered
• Mainstreamed

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Example Sentences

1. Social context:
   Many immigrant communities feel marginalized in the job market.

2. Educational context:
   Students from marginalized backgrounds often face additional challenges in school.

3. Cultural context:
   The artist's work gives a voice to marginalized groups in society.

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Root Analysis

• Marginal: From Latin margo, meaning "edge."
  Derivatives:

  • • Margin
    • Marginalia

   

• -ized: A suffix meaning "to make into a state."
  Examples:

  • • Industrialized
    • Modernized

   

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Affix Analysis

• No prefix: The meaning is shaped mainly by the root and suffix.
• Suffix -ized: Indicates "to cause to be."
  • Examples:
    • Colonized
    • Centralized

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Historical and Cultural Background
The concept of marginalization reflects societal inequalities. Originally referring to economic or geographical edges, the term has expanded to cover cultural, racial, gender-based, and other forms of exclusion. For instance, the U.S. civil rights movement in the mid-20th century aimed to end the marginalization of African Americans.

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Word Forms

• Verb: Marginalize
• Noun: Marginalization
• Adjective: Marginalized, Marginal
• Adverb: Marginally

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Collocations and Phrases

• Marginalized communities
• Feel marginalized
• Address marginalization

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Memory Tip

• Think of Margin (the edge of a page): To be marginalized means being pushed to the edge and excluded from the core.

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Story
Emma grew up in a marginalized neighborhood where resources were scarce. Despite the odds, she worked hard, graduated with honors, and became a lawyer. Her mission now is to support marginalized communities by fighting for their rights and opportunities.

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