כַּלְכָּלָה
The Modern-Hebrew word for economy and the study of economics is כַּלְכָּלָה.
An associated (active-intensive פִּעֵל) verb is לְכַלְכֵּל – to provide for, appearing in the Torah portion to be read this Shabbat by Jews around the world, as Joseph tells his brothers:
וְעַתָּה, אַל-תִּירָאוּ – אָנֹכִי אֲכַלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם, וְאֶת-טַפְּכֶם;
וַיְנַחֵם אוֹתָם, וַיְדַבֵּר עַל לִבָּם.
(בראשית נ’:כ”א)
“And now, do not fear – I will support (provide for) you and your children”; and he consoled them and spoke to their hearts. (Genesis 50:21)
You may also be familiar with the verb לכלכל from the Jewish prayer book:
מְכַלְכֵּל חַיִים בְּחֶסֶד…
He sustains the living with kindness…
כ.ל.כ.ל (k.l.k.l), the four-letter root of כלכלה and לכלכל , probably derives from a better-known root, כ.ו.ל (k.w.l) meaning all or all-encompassing.
Riding on the concept of providing all that is necessary, the word כלכלה in the times of the Mishnah referred to a basket of full of produce. And today, כלכלה also refers to board as in room and board.
For example:
בֵּית הָהַאֲרָחָה שֶׁלָּנוּ מְסַפֵּק כַּלְכָּלָה מְלֵאָה לְכָל אוֹרֵחַ.
Our guest house provides full board (i.e. all meals) for each guest.
Visit Ktzat Ivrit.