riittuva

Riittuva is a term encountered in Finnish-language discussions about sufficiency and adequacy, used to describe the state or quality of being sufficient under given conditions. It is not a standard dictionary entry in Finnish; rather, it appears in some policy, design, and theoretical writings as a way to talk about thresholds of adequacy without specifying exact numerical targets.

Etymology and form: The word is derived from the Finnish root riitä- “to suffice” with the nominalizing suffix -va, producing an adjective or noun form that can refer to the characteristic of being enough. Because it is not widely codified, its exact meaning can vary by author and context.

Usage: In practice, riittuva can be used to discuss whether resources, services, or regulations meet minimum requirements for safety, welfare, or sustainability. It is related to, but broader than, typical terms for sufficiency or adequacy, and is sometimes employed as a pragmatic shorthand in policy debates.

Limitations: As a relatively undeveloped term, riittuva lacks a fixed definition across disciplines, and users should specify the criteria and boundaries when adopting it in analysis.

See also: riittävyys, riittävä, sufficiency, adequacy.

Example sentence: A municipal plan is considered riittuva if it ensures minimum healthcare access for all residents, even if not the most expansive solution.