Carpenter ant (Zoöl.), 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 (Zoöl.), 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.

Syn. -- Carpenter, Joiner.

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

Carpenter, n. & v.
--n. a person skilled in woodwork, esp. of a structural kind (cf. JOINER).
--v.
1 intr. do carpentry.
2 tr. make by means of carpentry.
3 tr. (often foll. by together) construct; fit together.

Idiom

carpenter ant any large ant of the genus Camponotus, boring into wood to nest. carpenter bee any of various solitary bees, which bore into wood.

Etymology

ME & AF; OF carpentier f. LL carpentarius f. carpentum wagon f. Gaulish

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ROGET THESAURUS

Carpenter

Agent

N doer, actor, agent, performer, perpetrator, operator, executor, executrix, practitioner, worker, stager, bee, ant, working bee, termite, white ant, laboring oar, servant of all work, factotum, workman, artisan, craftsman, handicraftsman, mechanic, operative, working man, laboring man, demiurgus, hewers of wood and drawers of water, laborer, navvy, hand, man, day laborer, journeyman, charwoman, hack, mere tool, beast of burden, drudge, fag, lumper, roustabout, maker, artificer, artist, wright, manufacturer, architect, builder, mason, bricklayer, smith, forger, Vulcan, carpenter, ganger, platelayer, blacksmith, locksmith, sailmaker, wheelwright, machinist, mechanician, engineer, sempstress, semstress, seamstress, needlewoman, workwoman, tailor, cordwainer, minister, servant, representative, coworker, party to, participator in, particeps criminis, dramatis personae, personnel, quorum pars magna fui, faber est quisque fortunae suae.

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