word-forming element meaning "salt, a lump of salt," from Greek hali-, combining form of hals (genitive halos) "a lump of salt, salt generally," and in Homer, "the sea," from PIE root *sal- "salt."
Entries linking to hali-
*sal-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "salt."
It forms all or part of: hali-; halide; halieutic; halite; halo-; halogen; sal; salad; salami; salary; saline; salmagundi; salsa; salsify; salt; salt-cellar; saltpeter; sauce; sausage; silt; souse.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek hals "salt, sea;" Latin sal, Old Church Slavonic soli, Old Irish salann, Welsh halen, Old English sealt, German Salz "salt."