: salt that is in the form of large pieces or crystals : rock salt
In crystals of halite there are ions of two different kinds … The smaller ones are those of sodium, and the larger ones are those of chlorine.—
Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman
Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. KauffmanHalite occurs chiefly in sedimentary rocks where it has been deposited by evaporation from sea water or salt lakes …—W. A. Deer et al.
W. A. Deer et al.A small, choppy gravel road off state highway 178 takes us to the heart of this truly lunar landscape. The pinnacles surround us. Made of silty halite, they stand up to 2 ft. high. They are formed of the salt left behind from the evaporation of ground water.—Scott Oldham
Scott OldhamExamples of halite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most sodium is obtained nowadays by processing the mineral halite, also known as sodium-chloride or common table salt.
—David Bressan, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2022
Rocks are constructed, and while some cells are too sluggish to escape and are entombed by the silica, most squirm upward to the surface, leaving a network of holes that is filled in with salty water and ultimately coated with halite.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2016
Scientists analyzed halite samples from 830 million years ago using optical techniques.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022
Microorganisms found in the halite shrink and greatly reduce biological activity when host waters become too salty, the researchers said.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Bressan, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2022
Rocks are constructed, and while some cells are too sluggish to escape and are entombed by the silica, most squirm upward to the surface, leaving a network of holes that is filled in with salty water and ultimately coated with halite.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2016
Scientists analyzed halite samples from 830 million years ago using optical techniques.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022
Microorganisms found in the halite shrink and greatly reduce biological activity when host waters become too salty, the researchers said.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022
Dictionary Entries Near halite
Cite this Entry
“Halite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halite. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share