tilstrekkelige

Tilstrekkelige is a Norwegian adjective meaning sufficient or adequate, used to indicate that a quantity, resource, condition, or evidence meets a required threshold. It can describe both abstract and concrete matters, from time and money to data and performance. In typical usage, tilstrekkelige signals that something is enough for a given purpose, without implying excess.

In Norwegian, adjectives inflect for number. The positive form used before plural nouns is tilstrekkelige. The base singular form is tilstrekkelig. Comparative and superlative forms are tilstrekkeligere and tilstrekkeligst, respectively; many speakers also use periphrastic forms with mer and mest, such as mer tilstrekkelig or mest tilstrekkelig, in informal speech.

Etymology traces tilstrekkelige to the Norwegian word tilstrekkelig, related to Danish tilstrækkelig and Swedish tillräcklig, all meaning “sufficient.” The term generally appears in formal registers, including legal, financial, and governmental texts, but it is also common in everyday language when assessing adequacy.

Usage notes: tilstrekkelige emphasizes adequacy relative to a requirement or standard, rather than abundance. When discussing evidence, tilstrekkelige bevis is a standard formulation; when describing resources, tilstrekkelige ressurser is common. It is often contrasted with nok, which can mean merely enough in a somewhat tighter or more informal sense. The nuance depends on context and the degree to which sufficiency is judged.

See also: sufficient, nok, adequacy.