# quota

/ˈkwoʊtə/ (US) · /kwˈəʊtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/quota
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a target or limit

noun · CEFR B2

a fixed number or amount of something that you must reach or are not allowed to go past.

For teachers: a prescribed number or percentage serving as a maximum, minimum, or goal within a specific timeframe.

- The sales team worked late on Friday to reach their monthly quota.
- The department failed to meet its recruitment quota for the third quarter, leading to a significant backlog in project development.

### 2. trade or import limit

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a limit on the amount of a specific product that can be brought into a country.

For teachers: a government-imposed trade restriction that limits the number or monetary value of goods that a country can import or export.

- The government introduced a new quota on imported sugar to help local farmers.
- By imposing a strict quota on textile imports, the administration sought to protect domestic manufacturers from aggressive international competition.

Usage: Often used with the verbs 'impose', 'lift', or 'exceed'.

### 3. a share or portion

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

your fair share or part of a total amount.

For teachers: a proportional part or share assigned to an individual or group in a division of resources.

- Each person in the group was given their quota of food for the week.
- The survivors were forced to survive on a meagre daily quota of water until the rescue party arrived at the camp.

## Examples

- The sales team reached its monthly quota early.
- The government introduced a strict fishing quota to prevent the local salmon population from being overfished.
- While the factory met its production quota for the third quarter, the rapid pace led to a noticeable decline in the overall quality of the finished goods.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.