sprite

 
Pronunciation: /sprʌɪt/

noun

  • 1an elf or fairy.
  • 2a computer graphic which may be moved on-screen and otherwise manipulated as a single entity.
  • 3a faint flash, typically red, sometimes emitted in the upper atmosphere over a thunderstorm owing to the collision of high-energy electrons with air molecules.

Origin:

Middle English: alteration of sprit, a contraction of spirit