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 show is also doubling its Love Island USA quota by bringing in Peacock stars Nic Vansteenberghe (season 7 runner-up) and Kaylor Martin (season 6).
—
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
The details have not previously been confirmed, but a confidential contract shows an agreement to pay Tate at least six million dollars a year for a weekly quota of five short videos and a thirty-minute live stream.
—Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
The quota door is temporary — renewed annually through the budget law and potentially expiring in 2026.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 7 June 2026
The issue has been the subject of litigation, as one Chicago police supervisor received a settlement of just under $1 million after alleging he was removed from a citywide unit for refusing to pressure officers to meet traffic-stop and arrest quotas.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for quota
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Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
The details have not previously been confirmed, but a confidential contract shows an agreement to pay Tate at least six million dollars a year for a weekly quota of five short videos and a thirty-minute live stream.
—Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
The quota door is temporary — renewed annually through the budget law and potentially expiring in 2026.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 7 June 2026
The issue has been the subject of litigation, as one Chicago police supervisor received a settlement of just under $1 million after alleging he was removed from a citywide unit for refusing to pressure officers to meet traffic-stop and arrest quotas.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for quota
Cite this Entry
“Quota.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quota. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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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