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

Peanut cannot smell, but caregivers say that limitation does not appear to be stopping him from adjusting to his new surroundings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Any discrepancies in definition are a limitation of the data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

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

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

“There’s a limitation as to how far that goes.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Fascinating and brain-teasing though this limitation might be, its main problem as applied to music was that the only people who understood or admired it were other musicians.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall