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 By the end of the 1970s, women could get credit in their own names, had a right to birth control regardless of their marital status, and could not be kept out of colleges or professional schools due to admission quotas. Melissa Blair / Made By History, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024 The mission becomes about more than sales quotas, launch dates or paychecks. Jeffrey Russell, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024 However, the country remains unclear of how content quotas, which were due to be implemented over the summer but have not been, will impact the appetites of global streamers. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2024 The glitz and celebrity quota was whittled down to a minimum, though — no Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett or Jessica Chastain as in past seasons — leaving the stage to the core issue at hand: sustainability. Luisa Zargani, WWD, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for quota 

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 11 Oct. 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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