quota

[ kwoh-tuh ]

noun

1. the share or proportional part of a total that is required from, or is due or belongs to, a particular district, state, person, group, etc.

   Synonyms: allocation, apportionment, allotment

2. a proportional part or share of a fixed total amount or quantity.
3. the number or percentage of persons of a specified kind permitted to enroll in a college, join a club, immigrate to a country, etc.

quota

/ ˈkwəʊtə /

noun

1. the proportional share or part of a whole that is due from, due to, or allocated to a person or group
2. a prescribed number or quantity, as of items to be manufactured, imported, or exported, immigrants admitted to a country, or students admitted to a college

Word History and Origins

Origin of quota¹

1660–70; < Medieval Latin, short for Latin quota pars how great a part?

Word History and Origins

Origin of quota¹

C17: from Latin quota pars how big a share?, from quotus of what number

Example Sentences

Under the existing quota model, private prisons are driven to fill as many beds with detainees as possible — there's hardly any financial incentive to make the quality of their stay more tolerable.

From Salon

Significantly, the quota of PGA Tour cards going to the leading 10 DP World Tour players, not already exempt, will be unaltered under the plans revealed last week.

From BBC

And if one super PAC has hit its quota for a certain channel, another one hops in.

From Slate

They said she was stupid and basically a "DEI" or "affirmative action" or "quota" hire, "the enemy within" to be vanquished.

From Salon

A June order initially restricted asylum-seeking entries to a quota of just 2,500 crossings per day and closed the border altogether after certain thresholds were reached.

From Salon

Related Words

• allocation
• allotment
• allowance
• measure