Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A proportional share, as of goods, assigned to a group or to each member of a group; an allotment.
  • noun A production assignment.
  • noun A number or percentage, especially of people, constituting or designated as an upper limit.
  • noun A number or percentage, especially of people, constituting a required or targeted minimum.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A proportional part or share; share or proportion assigned to each; any required or proportionate single contribution to a total sum, number, or quantity.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A proportional part or share; the share or proportion assigned to each in a division.
  • noun a share of effort required to be performed, or a share of resources required to be contributed to some common purpose.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A proportional part or share; the share or proportion assigned to each in a division.
  • noun A prescribed number or percentage that may serve as, for example, a maximum, a minimum, or a goal.
  • noun business, economics A restriction on the import of something to a specific quantity.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a proportional share assigned to each participant
  • noun a prescribed number
  • noun a limitation on imports

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Medieval Latin, from Latin quota (pars), how large (a part), feminine of quotus, of what number; see quote.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin quota, from Latin quota pars.

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Examples

  • Sometimes only a certain quota is allowed to be taken and then there is more conflict.

    Endangered Species Vs Cultural Tradition « Colleen Anderson 2009

  • For example if his ten reps have all been on board for 6 months and the annual quota is 1M Usd, then we should have 2. 5M/quarter in quota laid off and we should expect 2. 5M X .70 = 1. 750M.

    The Secret SAAS Spyder Move. Ben Barren 2007

  • Then I asked her if she'd ever been in a band before, but I guess she'd used up her word quota for the year because she just nodded and took off.

    Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer Jen Sincero 2002

  • Then I asked her if she'd ever been in a band before, but I guess she'd used up her word quota for the year because she just nodded and took off.

    Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer Jen Sincero 2002

  • Then I asked her if she'd ever been in a band before, but I guess she'd used up her word quota for the year because she just nodded and took off.

    Don’t Sleep With Your Drummer Jen Sincero 2002

  • And on top of that, the quota is there so that they dont overfish and the alaskan king crab becomes extinct, i live in north pole alaska about 10min from fairbanks and ive been to dutch harbor, talked to the factory worker and all that.

    Fishing In Alaska 2006

  • "They never use the word 'quota,' but the supervisors tell you what your beat is 'expected to produce' " in numbers of violations, explains the former PPA worker.

    Phillies Zone 2011

  • The "quota" is that proportion of the votes which necessarily secures the election of a candidate.

    Proportional Representation 1916

  • I know some people really aren't into the whole demonstrating in front of others or doing events or workshops, but that's the beauty of Stampin 'Up. The sales quota is just $300 every three months ... just $25 a week!

    Back in the game again jpitta 2009

  • This won't be a massacre if the quota is held to, which it should be.

    The Latest On Would-Be Western Wolf Hunts 2009

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