limited

American  

[lim-i-tid] / ˈlɪm ɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. confined within limits; restricted or circumscribed.

   a limited space; limited resources.

2. Government. restricted with reference to governing powers by limitations prescribed in laws and in a constitution, as in

3. characterized by an inability to think imaginatively or independently; lacking originality or scope; narrow.

   a rather limited intelligence.

4. Chiefly British.

   1. responsible for the debts of a company only to a specified amount proportionate to the percentage of stock held.

   2. (of a business firm) owned by stockholders, each having a restricted liability for the company's debts.

   3. (usually initial capital letter) incorporated; Inc. Ltd.

5. (of railroad trains, buses, etc.) making only a limited number of stops en route.

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noun

1. a limited train, bus, etc.

limited British  

/ ˈlɪmɪtɪd /

adjective

1. having a limit; restricted; confined

2. without fullness or scope; narrow

3. (of governing powers, sovereignty, etc) restricted or checked, by or as if by a constitution, laws, or an assembly

   limited government

4. (of a train) stopping only at certain stations and having only a set number of cars for passengers

5. (of a business enterprise) owned by shareholders whose liability for the enterprise's debts is restricted

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noun

1. a limited train, bus, etc

Other Word Forms

• limitedly
  adverb
• limitedness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of limited

First recorded in 1545–55; limit + -ed ²

Explanation

If your gift certificate is only good for a limited amount of time, you have a specific number of days in which you can use it. Limited means short, small, or restricted by specific rules. When a rock concert has a limited number of seats, you may not be able to count on sitting down for the show. Likewise, it's tricky to open a business in a city with a limited amount of retail space. The adjective limited, which comes from the verb limit, was originally used to describe certain train routes — a limited was a term for an express train the late 1800's.

Example Sentences

Only three companies in the world—all in the U.S.—have the capabilities to produce these special alloys, so supply is limited.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

The setting gave the event a more exclusive feel, reinforced by the limited guest list of around 70 invited attendees.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Yet despite this pressure on bond markets, the impact on stocks and risk assets in general has been relatively limited — so far at least.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

Scientists proposed this idea, known as inside-out planet formation, about a decade ago, but evidence supporting it has been limited until now.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

This limited them to very short feeding periods at dusk.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• diminished
• insufficient
• minimal
• narrow
• poor
• reduced
• restricted
• small