Marginalised

adjective; also verb (transitive), past tense and past participle of "marginalise"

/ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəˌlaɪzd/

Pushed to the edges of society and denied full access to rights, resources, opportunities, and social participation — typically on the basis of caste, class, gender, ethnicity, disability, or religion.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Inclusive growth remains elusive so long as marginalised communities such as manual scavengers, denotified tribes and the urban informal workforce are left outside the ambit of welfare delivery and credit access.

Synonyms

sidelinedexcludeddisempowereddisenfranchisedperipheralisedostracised

Antonyms

empoweredincludedmainstreamedintegrated

🌱 Word Family

marginalise (v), marginalisation (n), marginal (adj), marginally (adv), marginalising (v pres.p)

🔡 Root

Latin margō = edge, border; -alize = make into; -ed = past participle suffix

📜 Etymology

From margin (Latin margō, "edge, border") + -alize + -ed; the verb marginalize entered English usage in the early 20th century, with the OED's earliest evidence from the social sciences.

🧠 Memory Hook

Pushed to the MARGIN of the page, the marginalised are pushed to the margin of society, where they have no say.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Mains 2019 · GS2 · 15 marks — International Relations

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Marginalised” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

👥 Society 📖 Seen in: Social Issues in India: Poverty, Women...

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