marginal need

[ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəl niːd]
nounpl: marginal needs
necessidade marginal
1. A need that is of secondary importance or low priority; a requirement that is barely essential or located at the periphery of what is considered necessary
The company identified that ergonomic office chairs were a marginal need compared to basic equipment.
A empresa identificou que cadeiras ergonômicas de escritório eram uma necessidade marginal em comparação com o equipamento básico.
2. In economics, the additional satisfaction or utility gained from consuming one more unit of a good or service
As consumers buy more products, the marginal need for additional units typically decreases.
À medida que os consumidores compram mais produtos, a necessidade marginal de unidades adicionais geralmente diminui.
3. A requirement that affects only a small portion of a population or user base
Left-handed keyboards represent a marginal need in the gaming industry.
Teclados para canhotos representam uma necessidade marginal na indústria de jogos.
This term is primarily used in business, economics, and social policy discussions in both Brazil and the USA. In Brazil, it's particularly relevant when discussing resource allocation in public services and consumer market analysis. In the USA, it's commonly used in corporate planning and economic discussions about consumer behavior.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
secondary needperipheral needminor requirementsupplementary neednon-essential need
Antonyms / Antônimos
essential needprimary needcritical needfundamental requirementvital need

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
necessidade marginal
Standard usage in business and economic contexts
Portugal
necessidade marginal
Same usage as Brazilian Portuguese; commonly used in academic and professional settings
São Paulo
necessidade secundária
Alternative informal usage in business contexts
Rio de Janeiro
necessidade periférica
Less common variant used in some professional circles

Related Words

necessityrequirementdemandutilityconsumer preferenceprioritymarginal utilitybasic need

Related Idioms & Phrases

a nice to have (as opposed to a must have)
on the back burner
low on the totem pole
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