Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: GOVERNMENT

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Medieval Latin
Origin: Latin quota pars 'how large a part'

quota

 noun
     
quo‧ta [countable]
1PG an official limit on the number or amount of something that is allowed in a particular periodCOLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
impose/introduce a quota (=officially start a quota) set a quota (=say what the quota for something will be) lift/end/scrap a quota import/export quota strict quota
quota on
The government has imposed quotas on the export of timber.
The government has decided to scrap quotas on car imports.
quota for
Several countries have now set quotas for cod fishing.
There are plans to introduce strict immigration quotas.
2B an amount of something that someone is expected to do or achieve
quota of
Each person was given a quota of tickets to sell.
quota for
In the 1990s the Navy couldn't fill its quota for new recruits.
meet/make/achieve a quota
Workers only get paid if they make their quota.
sales/production quota
They're worried that they won't achieve this year's sales quota.
3 an amount of something that you think is fair, right, or normal [= fair share]
quota of
The committee has had more than its quota of problems.
I think I've had my quota of coffee for the day.
4 British English a particular number of votes that someone needs to get to be elected in an election
Definition of quota from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
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