What does sprite mean?
A sprite is a small supernatural being from folklore, comparable to an elf, fairy, or pixie. Such beings are often connected with forests, rivers, lakes, and other wild or mysterious places, and they may be helpful, mischievous, or simply elusive. In modern computing, a sprite is a small graphic image used in interfaces, games, and animations; an animated character may consist of several sprite frames showing successive positions or movements. The word therefore combines an imaginative folkloric sense with a technical visual-design sense. “Sprite” is natural and familiar in both literary contexts and descriptions of digital graphics, making it a useful word for discussing either tiny supernatural beings or the small visual elements from which larger digital scenes are constructed.
nounA small, elusive supernatural being in folklore, especially an elf or fairy. In computing, a sprite is a small graphic image that can be displayed and animated within a larger scene.
- A small, mischievous or benevolent supernatural being in folklore, often associated with water, forests, or other natural places.
- A small graphic image used in a computer interface, game, animation, or other visual display.
"The animation used a digital sprite to represent the character walking across the screen."
"A water sprite rose from the river as the storm approached."
"Each character in the game was represented by a small sprite with several frames for movement."
The usual plural is “sprites,” referring either to folklore beings or to individual graphic images.
"The sprites flashed across the screen as the player collected them."
A sprite began as a spirit, became a tiny supernatural being, and later became a tiny picture on a screen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sprite
The word entered English through Anglo-French from Old French esprit, meaning “spirit,” ultimately from Latin spiritus, associated with breathing, life, and spirit. It was used for a kind of spirit or supernatural being before developing the more specific sense of a small fairy-like creature. The computing sense is a later extension based on the idea of a small image or figure appearing within a larger visual field.
How sprite is actually used
In folklore, the word has a literary and traditional character and is often used in descriptions of nature spirits and fairy tales. In computing, it refers specifically to a graphic object or image rather than to a complete scene or character design.
Easily confused with sprite
A sprite is a folklore being or a small graphic image, whereas a sprit is a small spar extending diagonally from a ship's mast.