Meeple

[5] The term meeple has occasionally been used for wooden board game pieces representing inanimate objects like vehicles.

[9] Carcassonne, published by Hans im Glück in 2000,[2][10] has been credited with popularizing the modern concept and shape of the meeple.

[citation needed] Although the figures were initially referred to as "followers", Alison Hansel, an American gamer, coined the name meeples in November 2000.

[12][13] According to Alicia Nield, owner of the company MeepleCity, Hansel accidentally combined the words "my people" during a game of Carcassonne.

[14] On November 27, 2000, Hansel made a post on the Unity Games forums proposing the term meeples to describe these figures.

Hans im Glück has since apologized for their overly aggressive action towards Cotswold Games.