quota

noun

quo·​ta ˈkwō-tə How to pronounce quota (audio)
Synonyms of quota
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

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The country’s current immigration policies are controlled by people who believe that the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which ended exclusionary quotas against non-European immigrants including South Asians, needs to be rolled back. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 The Harris Poll and Quad figure of 54% suggests younger shoppers see algorithmic suggestions as less likely to be driven by commission or quota than a floor associate’s pitch. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026 Territory planning, quota setting, incentive management, pipeline management and forecasting have historically run as separate processes with separate owners. — Arnab Mishra, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Responses with the error were discarded, as were voters who had already been attempted, and quotas were reset. — New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quota

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

Rhymes for quota

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Browse Nearby Words

quot
quota
quotability
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Cite this Entry

“Quota.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quota. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quota

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