quota

noun

quo·​ta ˈkwō-tə 

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

Synonyms of quota

• portion
• share
• part
• percentage
• proportion
• allowance
• allotment

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 Financial Times reported Wednesday that Ferrari aimed to sell ⁠just under 500 units of the Luce ​model this year, and the quota was ​filled in less than two months after the car’s May 25 launch. — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 30 July 2026

The protests stemmed from a High Court decision to uphold a quota system reserving 30% of government jobs for descendants of the veterans of the 1971 independence war. — Šumit Ganguly, NPR, 27 July 2026

But immigration advocates say the agency has increasingly targeted people traveling to and from county courthouses in Illinois, describing the arrests as part of an effort to meet enforcement quotas. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

Their interests have diverged over a number of issues, including oil quotas. — Garrett Haake, NBC news, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin quota pars how great a part

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for quota

• chota
• cota
• biota
• iota
• lakota
• nonquota
• ricotta

Kids 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