"The Sangheili (Macto cognatus, "I glorify my kin"), known to humans as Elites, are a saurian species of strong, proud, and intelligent warriors, as well as skilled combat tacticians. The Sangheili are named after their home planet, Sanghelios. Due to their skill in combat, the Sangheili have formed the military backbone of the Covenant for almost the entirety of its existence. They had a fierce rivalry with the Jiralhanae, which finally boiled over into open hatred during the Great Schism, and the conclusion of the Human-Covenant war." 
                                                                                                                                             From halo.fandom.com