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

Mamutjan, a Uyghur teacher who was imprisoned in 2015 for an irregularity in his travel documentation, says he was beaten for failing to meet the high tomato quotas expected of him.

From BBC

Ballots continue to be transferred to the next usable preference until all of the seats in the constituency are filled with candidates who have reached the quota.

From BBC

Temporary workers such as fruit pickers and poultry workers are covered by seasonal worker visas, external, subject to an annual quota.

From BBC

It is understood that target is still seen as non-negotiable, and the annual quotas will not be changed.

From BBC

Some are calling for the government to water down the quotas, in order to give them more time.

From BBC

Related Words

• allocation
• allotment
• allowance
• measure