limitation

American  

[lim-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌlɪm ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a limiting condition; restrictive weakness; lack of capacity; inability or handicap.

   He knows his limitations as a writer.

2. something that limits; a limit or bound; restriction.

   an arms limitation; a limitation on imports.

3. the act of limiting.

4. the state of being limited.

5. Law. the assignment, as by statute, of a period of time within which an action must be brought, or the period of time assigned.

   a statute of limitations.

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limitation British  

/ ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. something that limits a quality or achievement

2. the act of limiting or the condition of being limited

3. law a certain period of time, legally defined, within which an action, claim, etc, must be commenced

4. property law a restriction upon the duration or extent of an estate

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonlimitation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of limitation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lymytacion, from Latin līmitātiōn-, stem of līmitātiō “determination, enclosure within boundaries,” from līmitāt(us) “bounded, enclosed” (past participle of līmitāre “to bound, enclose within boundaries”; see limit) + -iō -ion

Explanation

A limitation is something that holds you back, like a broken leg that keeps you off the dance floor during prom season. A limitation could also be a rule that restricts what you can do, like needing to be a certain height to ride a roller coaster at an amusement park. It can also be a circumstance that hampers you, like a dead car that keeps you from traveling very far from home. The noun limitation comes up a lot in the law, especially in the phrase "statute of limitations," which dictates how long after a crime someone can be prosecuted for committing it.

Example Sentences

But the ASA said the way the testing was conducted "was a significant limitation" as there was no placebo group, and the sample size was "relatively small".

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

A limitation of many cavity QED systems is that all of the atoms interact with the light in exactly the same way.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

Most weeknight cooking suffers from the same limitation: not enough time.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Another limitation of asking whether the Iran war undermines deterrence against China is that it treats decisions about war and peace too narrowly.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

But Archimedes got beyond this limitation by hitting the reset button.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife