\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.

{Carpenter ant} (Zo["o]l.), 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} (Zo["o]l.), 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}.