halite

[ hal-ahyt, hey-lahyt ]

noun

1. a soft white or colorless mineral, sodium chloride, NaCl, occurring in cubic crystals with perfect cleavage; rock salt.

halite

/ ˈhælaɪt /

noun

1. a colourless or white mineral sometimes tinted by impurities, found in beds as an evaporite. It is used to produce common salt and chlorine. Composition: sodium chloride. Formula: NaCl. Crystal structure: cubic Also calledrock salt

halite

/ hăl′īt′,hā′līt′ /

1. A colorless or white mineral occurring as cubic crystals. Halite is found in dried lakebeds in arid climates and is used as table salt. Chemical formula: NaCl.
2. See more at salt

Word History and Origins

Origin of halite¹

First recorded in 1865–70; hal- + -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of halite¹

C19: from New Latin halītes; see halo- , -ite ²

Example Sentences

Chlorine occurs in nature chiefly combined with sodium, as halite or rock salt (NaCl).

From Project Gutenberg

Some of the uses of common salt are given in the description of halite in the preceding chapter.

From Project Gutenberg

Common salt constitutes the mineral halite, the composition of which is sodium chloride.

From Project Gutenberg