hālĭtus (alitus), ūs, m. [halo], breath, exhalation, steam, vapor.
I Lit. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): Nemeaeus leo Frendens efflavit graviter extremum halitum, his last breath , * Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 9, 22: aegris faucibus exsuperat gravis halitus, Pers. 3, 88: quae (i. e. nebulae aestusque) velut halitus sursum feruntur, Lucr. 6, 478: a pulmone halitus graveolentia, i. e. stinking breath , Plin. 28, 12, 53, § 194; so, oris, id. 21, 20, 83, § 142; 28, 4, 14, § 56; cf.: artificis halitus oris, Juv. 10, 238: postero die ex ore (ebriorum) halitus cadi, fumes of wine , Plin. 14, 22, 28, § 142: plumbi fornacium halitus noxius et pestilens, exhalation , fumes , id. 34, 18, 50, § 167: carbonum, Prud. στεφ. 5, 219: terrae, Plin. 11, 12, 12, § 31; Quint. 7, 9, 8: salis, Plin. 17, 4, 2, § 24: Averni, Val. Fl. 4, 494: solis, i. e. heat , Col. 2, 5, 2.—
II Transf., the spirit , soul , Prud. Cath. 10, 11.—
b Wind : frigidus, Claud. Rutil. 1, 105.