The corrosion behaviour of copper in nitric acid containing chloro-, DELTA G, DELTA H and DELTA S) trichloro-, bromo- and iodoacetic acids has been studied using weight loss and polarization techniques. A considerable decrease in corrosion rate is observed in the inhibited nitric acid. The corrosion rate depends on the nature and concentration of haloacetic acids, temperature, stirring rate of the medium and the concentration of the nitric acid. The values of inhibitor efficiency from weight loss and polarization measurements are in good agreement. The drift of corrosion potential towards less noble direction and the change in cathodic Tafel slope indicate that haloacetic acids act as cathodic inhibitors for copper in nitric acid. The thermodynamic parameters ( DELTA G, DELTA H and DELTA S) for adsorption obtained using Bockris-Swinkels adsorption isotherm reveal a strong interaction of these inhibitors on copper surface