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

Example Sentences

As recently as last month, Iran’s leaders were insisting they had limited their missile ranges to the equivalent of half the distance to Diego Garcia.

From The Wall Street Journal

His family requested privacy, noting that details about his death remain limited.

From Salon

The film had its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February and is scheduled for a limited run in Belfast.

From BBC

For people with limited disposable income, radio offered an affordable form of entertainment, and the medium experienced its heyday in the 1930s.

From The Wall Street Journal

Traditional tools, including wave plates and linear polarizers, can detect polarization but are fixed in their capabilities and limited in range.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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