noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/mɑɹd͡ʒɪˈneɪli.ə/
Received-Pronunciation:/mɑːd͡ʒɪˈneɪli.ə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪliə
1
noun
Meaning 1
Notes in the margin of a document.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural, plural-normally
Examples
We know what the composer was thinking as he wrote the piece because we can read his handwritten marginalia on the manuscript.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: apostil, marginal note, gloss
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
notes written in the margin
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: note
Narrower terms: scholium, scholia
History
Etymology
From New Latin marginālia (cf. margināle (neuter singular (adjective / noun)), from Medieval Latin neuter plural of marginālis (“on the periphery”), from Latin margō (“border, edge”). By surface analysis, marginal + -ia. Compare margin.
Across languages
Translations
6 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مُلَاحَظَة هَامِشِيَّة
— notes in the margin of document — see also marginal note
Bulgarian:
забележка в полето
(zabeležka v poleto)
— notes in the margin of document — see also marginal note
German:
Randnote
— notes in the margin of document — see also marginal note
Polish:
marginalia
— notes in the margin of document — see also marginal note
Portuguese:
notas à margem
— notes in the margin of document — see also marginal note
Portuguese:
nota à margem
— notes in the margin of document — see also marginal note