quota

noun

quo·​ta ˈkwō-tə How to pronounce quota (audio)
1
: a proportional part or share
especially : the share or proportion assigned to each in a division or to each member of a body
2
: the number or amount constituting a proportional share
3
: a fixed number or percentage of minority group members or women needed to meet the requirements of affirmative action

Examples of quota in a Sentence

The agency imposes strict fishing quotas. The company has imposed quotas on hiring. He lost his driver's license because he exceeded the quota of traffic violations. The department set new sales quotas in January.
Recent Examples on the Web Whitefish and lake trout typically hatch in the spring and feed on plankton, so less plankton would likely cause fish populations to shrink, potentially leading to tighter fishing quotas and higher prices at grocery stores and restaurants. Todd Richmond, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 While Japan, which faces a similar demographic challenge as its neighbor, has raised its quota in recent years, Yoon’s government said South Korea has not increased the number of slots at medical schools for nearly three decades. Shinhye Kang, Bloomberg.com, 27 Feb. 2024 This includes meeting or beating sales quotas, finishing projects early and under budget and higher positive customer comments. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 On the Atlantic border, the policy was national origin quotas. Theodore S. Gonzalves, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024 Drugmakers have blamed the DEA's quotas for frustrating efforts to boost manufacturing to meet demand. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2024 When the chalet opened in 2018, the 30-minute helicopter transfer from Talkeetna satisfied most guests’ thrill quota. Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2024 Too often, our relationships are boiled down to quotas and targets, close rates and retention numbers. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 This is a backdoor way of creating internet access racial quotas. Stephen Moore, Orange County Register, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quota.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin quota pars how great a part

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quota was in 1618

Dictionary Entries Near quota

Cite this Entry

“Quota.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quota. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

quota

noun
quo·​ta ˈkwōt-ə How to pronounce quota (audio)
1
: a share or part assigned to each member of a group
2
: the number or amount making up a quota

Legal Definition

quota

noun
quo·​ta ˈkwō-tə How to pronounce quota (audio)
1
: a proportional part or share assigned to each in a body
2
: a specific amount that serves as a minimum or maximum
a law against traffic ticket quotas
Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin quota pars how great a part

More from Merriam-Webster on quota

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