Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Subscribe

Archives



May 14, 2019
This week’s theme
Portmanteaux or blend words

This week’s words
hermaphrodite
meeple
cremains
shero
prissy

meeple
A meeple in a game of Carcassonne

Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

meeple

PRONUNCIATION:
(MEE-puhl)

MEANING:
noun: A game piece shaped in a stylized human form.

ETYMOLOGY:
A blend of my + people or mini + people. Earliest documented use: early 21st century.

USAGE:
“In ‘Five Tribes’, players maneuver wooden meeples around the board, with each meeple having a special power.”
Jenn Bartlett; Introducing Euro Games; Library Journal (New York); Feb 15, 2018.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence. -Hal Borland, author and journalist (14 May 1900-1978)

What they say

“A trawl through the site’s archive yields all kinds of delights.”
Read more

The Observer


More articles

Anu Garg on words

“Overall, the universe’s apostrophe store stays in balance. It seems our linguistic world was intelligently designed -- for every gratuitous apostrophe there’s an instance where it’s omitted.”

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith