Standee
A standee is a flat printed character or token that slots into a plastic or cardboard base so it stands upright on the table. It's a cheaper alternative to a sculpted miniature while still giving each piece a visual identity.
Why it matters
Standees show up the moment your game needs distinct player or enemy pieces but you don't want to pay for plastic minis. Kickstarter campaigns often launch with standees and add miniatures as a stretch goal.
Example
A four-player co-op dungeon crawler might ship with 4 hero standees and 12 monster standees. Each standee is a tall narrow card (often around 1.5" × 2.5") with a small base.