sprite

[sprahyt]
noun
Also, spright. an elf, fairy, or goblin.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English sprit < Old French esprit < Latin spīritus spirit

Related forms
sprite·hood, noun
sprite·less, adjective
sprite·like, adjective

Can be confused: spirit, sprite.

Synonyms
See fairy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
sprite (spraɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
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
 
[C13: from Old French esprit, from Latin spīritusspirit1]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Sprite is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

sprite
c.1300, from O.Fr. esprit "spirit," from L. spiritus (see spirit).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary

Sprite definition

operating system
An operating system from Berkeley supporting multiprocessing and distributed files.
[Details? References?]
(1994-10-17)

sprite definition

graphics, file format
A small bitmap image, often used in animated games but also sometimes used as a synonym for icon.
(1997-06-29)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
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Example sentences
It's really an atmospheric phenomenon called a sprite.
Her quick changes of mood indicated that the sprite was infinitely capricious.
It's easy to see how that little wood sprite went on to study ecology and fashioned himself into an environmental shock trooper.
Unfortunately, when the sprite tries to reattach the gangster's severed pinky, he puts the thing on backwards.
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