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
But the announcement April 28 that the United Arab Emirates was leaving OPEC caps years of tension where the desert state chafed under the cartel’s quotas, and recently, encountered severe strain in its relationship with Saudi Arabia, the group’s most potent force by far.
—
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Once free of quota constraints, the Emirates can up its production by more than 40% to 5 million barrels per day, intensifying competition in markets where sub-Saharan Africa’s higher-cost producers are already vulnerable.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Even though strict immigration quotas and bans became the law of the land in 1924, the issue persisted as babies born prior to passage of the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act came of age into the 1930s.
—Lawrence Glickman, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
York and Rochdale issued a statement before kick-off, arguing that the quota should be increased from two to three, in line with the EFL’s three divisions.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quota
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Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Once free of quota constraints, the Emirates can up its production by more than 40% to 5 million barrels per day, intensifying competition in markets where sub-Saharan Africa’s higher-cost producers are already vulnerable.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Even though strict immigration quotas and bans became the law of the land in 1924, the issue persisted as babies born prior to passage of the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act came of age into the 1930s.
—Lawrence Glickman, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
York and Rochdale issued a statement before kick-off, arguing that the quota should be increased from two to three, in line with the EFL’s three divisions.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 27 Apr. 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 1 May. 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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