Kladdig

Kladdig is an adjective used in Swedish and Norwegian to describe something that is sticky, gooey, or tacky, often implying that a material adheres to surfaces and is moist or messy. The term is commonly applied to food textures (such as dough, sauces, or pastries) but can also describe hands, clothes, or other objects that pick up or leave residue. In cooking, kladdig denotes a texture that is soft, moist, and clingy rather than dry; it is a sought-after quality in certain dishes, most famously in the Swedish dessert kladdkaka, a dense chocolate cake with a very sticky center.

The word derives from the verb kladda, meaning to smear or smearily handle, with the suffix -ig forming an adjective indicating a characteristic. In Norwegian, the adjective carries the same sense and is used in similar contexts. The term can be used neutrally when describing sensation or outcome, but it is often perceived as a practical or informal descriptor rather than a formal culinary term.

Usage across Scandinavian languages shows a shared lexical item reflecting similar experiences with texture and messiness in food and daily life. The word can convey both positive and negative connotations depending on context, such as describing a deliciously sticky dessert or a messy spill. In more technical contexts, more precise terms like sticky, tacky, or adhesive may be preferred.