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
While in beta, Perplexity Patents will be free for all users, but Pro and Max subscribers will receive additional usage quotas and model configuration options.
—
PC Magazine, 1 Nov. 2025
These policies attempt to limit international trade to create less competition for domestic industries through the use of tariffs or import quotas.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Earlier pacts with Australia, Malaysia and Thailand also outlined multibillion-dollar plans, commitments to fair trade practices and to avoid export bans or quotas.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
The rate quota on Argentine beef will be raised to 80,000 metric tons, Reuters reported, allowing Argentina to ship more cuts to the United States at a lower rate of duty.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quota
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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PC Magazine, 1 Nov. 2025
These policies attempt to limit international trade to create less competition for domestic industries through the use of tariffs or import quotas.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Earlier pacts with Australia, Malaysia and Thailand also outlined multibillion-dollar plans, commitments to fair trade practices and to avoid export bans or quotas.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
The rate quota on Argentine beef will be raised to 80,000 metric tons, Reuters reported, allowing Argentina to ship more cuts to the United States at a lower rate of duty.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 24 Oct. 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 8 Nov. 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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