Abstract: Disclosed is device with high linearity for limitation of a characteristic of a signal to a maximum value S.sub.max, and notably the amplitude of a radar signal in a reception system with high linearity. The device comprises a limiter having a limitation threshold S.sub.lim that can be switched over to two possible values S.sub.h and S.sub.b chosen so as to be respectively higher and lower than S.sub.max and means to activate the switching over of the limitation threshold S.sub.lim to either one of the foregoing values, depending on whether a measurement representing a characteristic of the signal such as the amplitude delivered by measurement means is higher or lower than a given comparison threshold V.sub.H. A device such as this is very useful in a radar reception system with high linearity carrying out an analog-digital encoding of the radar signal, for it protects the encoder used from saturation with a minimum lowering of performance characteristics in terms of dynamic range and linearity.