Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sprite” come from?

Sprite derives from Middle English sprite, from Old French esprit, from Latin spiritus meaning "breath" or "soul," from Proto-Indo-European (s)peys-.

sprite (English): A spirit; a soul; a shade; An apparition; ghost;...

Definitions

  1. A spirit; a soul; a shade; An apparition; ghost;...

Ancestry of “sprite”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsprite—
2Old Frenchespritspirit
3Latinspīritus—
4Latinspīrō—
5Proto-Indo-European(s)peys-to blow, breathe; to blow to make noise; to blow;...

Words derived from “sprite”

  • spritely
  • spritelike
  • spriteliness
  • spriting
  • spriteful
  • spriter
  • spritesheet
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)peys- →