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
Ongoing demand and limited quotas make each shift relevant for millions, as the speed of this process can determine years-long outcomes.
—
Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
The rulemaking committee set a statewide quota at 250 bobcats for the season and allowed each trapper to take a single cat.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 13 Nov. 2025
The good news keeps coming for Colombia’s audiovisual industry, most recently with a report that its 2025 Audiovisual Investment Certificate (CINA) quota was fully allocated by mid-September, an unprecedented milestone.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
Australia became the latest country to introduce content quotas on the major streamers this week.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Nov. 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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Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
The rulemaking committee set a statewide quota at 250 bobcats for the season and allowed each trapper to take a single cat.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 13 Nov. 2025
The good news keeps coming for Colombia’s audiovisual industry, most recently with a report that its 2025 Audiovisual Investment Certificate (CINA) quota was fully allocated by mid-September, an unprecedented milestone.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
Australia became the latest country to introduce content quotas on the major streamers this week.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Nov. 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 23 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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