from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Carpenter \Car"pen*ter\, n. [OF. carpentier, F. charpentier, LL.
carpentarius, fr. L. carpentum wagon, carriage.]
An artificer who works in timber; a framer and builder of
houses, ships, etc.
Syn: {Carpenter}, {Joiner}.
Usage: The carpenter frames and puts together roofs,
partitions, floors, and other structural parts of a
building. The joiner supplies stairs, doors shutters,
mantelpieces, cupboards, and other parts necessary to
finishing the building. In America the two trades are
commonly united.
[1913 Webster]
{Carpenter ant} (Zool.), any species of ant which gnaws
galleries in the wood of trees and constructs its nests
therein. They usually select dead or somewhat decayed
wood. The common large American species is {Formica
Pennsylvanica}.
{Carpenter bee} (Zool.), a large hymenopterous insect of the
genus {Xylocopa}; -- so called because it constructs its
nest by gnawing long galleries in sound timber. The common
American species is {Xylocopa Virginica}.
[1913 Webster]