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
The plurality Liberal Democratic Party, which has long led Japan, has firmly opposed a proposal within its government to raise a special quota for American rice imports.
—
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 8 May 2025
With dynamic pricing, quotas, and alternative destinations gaining traction, the tourism industry is evolving, but the key to a fulfilling vacation in 2025 lies in thoughtful planning.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
In China, national-level water regulations introduced in 2024 enforce quotas, efficiency, and oversight to guarantee water security and ecological protections.
—Ken Katz, Sourcing Journal, 5 May 2025
Carr in March urged the agency’s enforcement arm to open an investigation into Disney and ABC over whether the companies maintains discriminatory policies through racial quotas, among other things.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quota
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Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 8 May 2025
With dynamic pricing, quotas, and alternative destinations gaining traction, the tourism industry is evolving, but the key to a fulfilling vacation in 2025 lies in thoughtful planning.
—Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
In China, national-level water regulations introduced in 2024 enforce quotas, efficiency, and oversight to guarantee water security and ecological protections.
—Ken Katz, Sourcing Journal, 5 May 2025
Carr in March urged the agency’s enforcement arm to open an investigation into Disney and ABC over whether the companies maintains discriminatory policies through racial quotas, among other things.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quota
Cite this Entry
“Quota.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quota. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quota
noun
quo·ta
ˈkwōt-ə 
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
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
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