pålitelig

Pålitelig is an adjective used in Norwegian Bokmål and Swedish to describe something or someone that can be trusted to behave as expected, deliver accurate results, or maintain consistency. The term covers people, organizations, systems, data, and sources.

In Norwegian, pålitelig is commonly used for persons who keep their word, for sources whose information is reliable, or for technical systems and processes that perform consistently. Examples include en pålitelig venn (a reliable friend), en pålitelig kilde (a trustworthy source), and et pålitelig datasystem (a dependable data system). In Swedish, pålitlig serves a similar function and is widely used in everyday and formal language to express trustworthiness and steadiness.

Etymology and range of meaning: the word is formed as a compound from a preposition and a stem that conveys credibility, with cognates existing across Scandinavian languages. The core sense emphasizes reliability, trust, and consistency rather than mere credibility alone. Depending on context, betydningen can shift toward usefulness, steadiness, or credibility of a source.

Usage and collocations: common expressions include en pålitelig kilde, ett pålitelig system, and ett påliteligt företag (a reliable source, a reliable system, a trustworthy company). Troverdighet or trovärdighet are related concepts in Norwegian and Swedish that focus more on credibility or believability, while pålitelighet or tillförlitlighet can broaderly denote overall reliability.

See also: synonyms and related terms include troverdighet (credibility), tillförlitlighet (reliability), and trovärdighet in contexts emphasizing believability. The exact nuance may vary slightly between Norwegian and Swedish usage, but the core idea remains consistent: something or someone worthy of trust.