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

This would lead to a discussion of nuclear limitations on each party in exchange for pledging no redeployments on foreign soil.

From The Wall Street Journal

This discovery overcomes a major limitation in modern neuroscience by making it possible to directly observe how neurons receive information.

From Science Daily

But as a feeling, it’s far more akin to gospel, like a baroque passage of biblical scripture comparing the earthly limitations of the body and the endless possibilities of the mind.

From Salon

But his pitting of empathy in direct opposition to that clarity about our limitations is self-serving and, let’s be real, the kind of man-child narcissism currently being celebrated as strength.

From Los Angeles Times

Altermagnets are drawing growing interest because they could overcome key limitations of today's magnetic memory technologies and enable faster, more compact data storage.

From Science Daily