élelmi

Élelmi is a Hungarian adjective derived from the noun élelem, meaning food or provisions. The term denotes anything pertaining to nourishment, provisioning, or sustenance. It is primarily found in historical, legal, or bureaucratic language. In modern standard Hungarian, élelmi is comparatively rare, and more common terms for related concepts are élelem (food), élelmiszer (edible goods/foodstuffs), and élelmezés (provisioning/nutrition). The adjectival form can occur in compound expressions in older documents or specialized contexts, referring to matters of supply, distribution, or regulation of provisions. Because of its formal or old-fashioned tone, élelmi usually signals an official or archival register rather than everyday speech.

The word's etymology traces to élelem, from the root meaning life-sustaining nourishment. The suffix -i forms an adjective in Hungarian, yielding 'élelmi' as 'pertaining to nourishment/provisions.' In historical sources, forms such as élelmi- occur before nouns, serving as a classificatory or attributive modifier.

In contemporary usage, speakers may replace élelmi with more precise terms depending on context: élelmiszer for the commodity, élelmezés for provisioning or nutrition, or simply élelem in casual contexts. See also: élelem, élelmiszer, élelmezés.