n.1 the share that an individual person or company is bound to contribute to or entitled to receive from a total.
2 a quantity of goods etc. which under official controls must be manufactured, exported, imported, etc.
3 the number of yearly immigrants allowed to enter a country, students allowed to enrol for a course, etc.
Etymology: med.L quota (pars) how great (a part), fem. of quotus f. quot how many