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Sprightly comes from spright, an archaic version of the word we now use for an elf or fairy: sprite. Ariel from William Shakespeare's The Tempest and the leprechaun of Irish mythology are often referred to as sprites, and it's no coincidence that both are characterized by their light, flitting movements and mannerisms. Sprite derives via Middle English and Old French from the Latin spiritus, which of course gives us spirit as well. A similar-looking adjective that can describe someone who is nimble and energetic is spry, but the origin of that word is not known.
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Examples of sprightly in a Sentence
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 14 July 2024
Through a melodic flow of political parlance and an impressive stable of sprightly actors, creator Debora Cahn stages a spirited play about political relationships — and relationship politics — that never feels stodgy or stupefying, despite an ungodly amount of dialogue.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024
It’s filled with colorful side characters, like the sprightly Pinky, whose zest for life has not been tempered by her own past tragedies.
—Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024
Eco does its best to up efficiency; Normal is set up to give sprightly performance without draining the battery; Sport gives sharper performance and turns the instruments red; and Snow is designed to keep the car in check when the white stuff falls.
—Alex Goy, WIRED, 14 Sep. 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Sprightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprightly. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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