As three-dimensional graphics became more prevalent, the term was used to describe a technique whereby flat images are seamlessly integrated into complicated three-dimensional scenes.
That is, figures generated by either custom hardware or by software alone were all referred to as sprites.
As computer performance improved, this optimization became unnecessary and the term evolved to refer specifically to the two dimensional images themselves that were integrated into a scene. Sprites were originally invented as a method of quickly compositing several images together in two-dimensional video games using special hardware. In computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names see Synonyms below) is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene.
