: a form of electrical discharge that sometimes is emitted upwards from the top of a cumulonimbus cloud during a thunderstorm at the same time that lightning strikes downward and that usually appears as a red or reddish-orange flash of light
Atmospheric scientist Walter Lyons and his colleagues … noticed unusual behavior in storms over the plains: They triggered huge numbers of "sprites"—ghostly red glows of excited nitrogen molecules often seen high above violent storms. Robert Irion
the child insisted that he'd seen a sprite hiding in the garden told hair-raising stories of sprites and spectral ships
Recent Examples on the WebEven so, most people should take advantage of Digital Eclipse's handy, optional toggles to remove both sprite flicker and animation slowdown from those platforms. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 29 Aug. 2022 Proksch’s character, Colin Robinson, got a shoutout on the drink menu, with a Baby Colin Robinson (sprite and grenadine) providing a non-alcoholic option. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2022 The sprite for the baby-sized Jr. Pac-Man has been similarly changed to remove the trademark red bow that was first seen in 1983's Jr. Pac-Man. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 8 Apr. 2022 It's made up of all the staple ingredients of a classic Shirley Temple — sprite, grenadine and a signature maraschino cherry — but spiked with vodka. Antonia Debianchi, PEOPLE.com, 13 May 2022 An animated sprite introduces the instruments of the orchestra in a film in concert performance. Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2022 While one game in the collection hinges on death and the afterlife in a slightly morose way, and another includes black-and-white, small-sprite samurai combat (and is awesome), this content is fine for anyone 12 and up. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 18 Apr. 2022 Ashley Laracey, in a debut, showed glimpses of real command, offering a sprite-like buoyancy in her balances and arabesques.New York Times, 28 Jan. 2022 Most rational people know that the odds of that perfect meteorological cocktail—temps in the low 50s, dry, a tailwind that magically follows you around like a forest sprite—are fairly slim. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 6 Oct. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English sprit, from Anglo-French espriz, espirit spirit, sprite — more at spirit