Plural of halid; compounds formed when a halogen combines with another element or radical.
From 'hal-' meaning salt, derived from Greek 'hals' (salt), combined with the suffix '-id' indicating a chemical compound. The term emerged in chemistry during the 19th century as scientists classified salt-like compounds.
Halids are the chemical cousins of salt—when halogens like chlorine or bromine grab onto other elements, they form stable compounds with similar properties to table salt, which is why early chemists grouped them together.
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