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 called: rock salt
Word origin
C19: from New Latin halītes; see halo-, -ite2
halite in American English
(ˈhælˌaɪt; ˈheɪˌlaɪt)
noun
a soft, colorless or white mineral, NaCl; native sodium chloride; rock salt