Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "halophile" wata halitta ce da ke bunƙasa a ciki ko kuma tana buƙatar yanayi mai yawa na gishiri, kamar Tekun Gishiri ko gishiri. Kalmar “halophile” ta samo asali ne daga kalmomin Helenanci “halos,” ma’ana gishiri, da “philia,” ma’ana ƙauna. Halophiles suna iya rayuwa har ma suna bunƙasa a cikin mahalli tare da adadin gishiri wanda zai zama mai kisa ga yawancin sauran halittu. Misalan halophiles sun haɗa da wasu ƙwayoyin cuta, archaea, da algae.