Sprite (folklore)

A sprite is a supernatural entity in European mythology. They are often depicted as fairy-like creatures or as an ethereal entity.^[1]

Etymology

The word sprite is derived from the Latin spiritus ("spirit"), via the French esprit. Variations on the term include spright and the Celtic spriggan. The term is chiefly used with regard to elves and fairies in European folklore, and in modern English is rarely used in reference to spirits.

Belief in sprites

In some elemental magics, the sprite is often believed to be the elemental of air (see also sylph).

Water sprite

A water sprite (also called a water fairy or water faery) is a general term for an elemental spirit associated with water, according to alchemist Paracelsus. Water sprites are said to be able to breathe water or air and sometimes can fly.

These creatures exist in the