Words / B2

KWOHT-uh/ˈkwəʊtə/

A quota is an official limit or required share: an import quota, a quota of catches, meet a quota. Limit is everyday; target can be a goal rather than a cap; ration is scarcity at consumer level. In speech, an official share / cap is enough. Do not use quota for a personal to-do list, and in news quotas appear in fishing, immigration, and sales (a sales quota can be a required minimum, not only a maximum).

Meaning

An official limit on an amount or number that is allowed or required.

Examples

• “The fishery has an annual quota for each species.”
• “The fishery closed when the quota was exhausted.”
• “Sales staff complained that the monthly quota ignored the quiet season.”

Good to know

an import / fishing / sales quota; meet a quota. Everyday: limit. Goal (not always a cap): target. Scarcity for consumers: ration. Official number.

Near in meaning

limit

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