limitation

American  

[lim-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌlɪm ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a limiting 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. limiting.

4. the state of being limited. 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

• 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”; limit ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

He pointed out that there’s a “physical limitation to normalization” when it comes to Asian supply and demand, because the trip to Asia from the Middle East takes 30 days each way.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Professor Marwan El Ghoch of the Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia explains that this limitation makes it difficult for BMI to accurately reflect adiposity.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

And he sought to import this limitation into the 14th Amendment.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Another limitation is having an incidental finding, such as a lung nodule.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

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

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