sprite

or spright

[ sprahyt ]

noun

1. (in folklore) an elf, fairy, or goblin.

sprite

/ spraɪt /

noun

1. (in folklore) a nimble elflike creature, esp one associated with water
2. a small dainty person
3. an icon in a computer game which can be manoeuvred around the screen by means of a joystick, etc

Other Words From

• spritehood noun
• spriteless adjective
• spritelike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sprite¹

1400–1450; Middle English sprit, spreit, from Anglo-French spirit(e), Old French esprit, espirit(e), from Latin spīritus spirit

Word History and Origins

Origin of sprite¹

C13: from Old French esprit, from Latin spīritus spirit ¹

Synonym Study

See fairy.

Example Sentences

I amused them by wearing a flower crown and pitching my voice high to play Puck, a mischievous sprite.

From Los Angeles Times

Braid dandelions or daisies into a floral crown, and the wearer becomes a forest sprite.

From Seattle Times

The show’s makers also used crowd sprites, in which actors were filmed individually on green screens and then arranged to appear as part of the crowd.

From New York Times

Pee-wee is a sprite, a creature of myth, like Pan — immune to time or decay or serious illness.

From Los Angeles Times

Her near life-size ceramic figures of animals, sprites and fairy-tale heroines in moments of frozen intimacy are prickly and emotional in a way that’s hard to get over.

From New York Times

Related Words

• spright