carpenter

1 of 2

noun

car·​pen·​ter ˈkär-pən-tər 

ˈkär-pᵊm-tər

: a worker who builds or repairs wooden structures or their structural parts

carpenter

2 of 2

verb

carpentered; carpentering ˈkär-pən-t(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to follow the trade of a carpenter

carpentered when he was young

transitive verb

1

: to make by or as if by carpentry

2

: to put together often in a mechanical manner

carpentered many television scripts

Examples of carpenter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many of our neighbors have housekeepers, gardeners, carpenters, etc. —Judith Martin, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025

Pieces by the Chinese wood carpenter and artist brand Heidi Woodcraft are exclusively available at the Shanghai store. —Denni Hu, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025

Verb

With a dedicated ad campaign fronted by Clint 419, the founder of steetwear brand Corteiz, and Italian actor Alessandro Borghi, the collection is comprised of about 18 looks spanning outerwear, overshirts, utility vests, jeans and carpenter denim pants. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025

Noma’s dining room, by contrast, is meticulously carpentered together, from the peaked ceiling to the bare floor, out of sanded oak and Douglas fir. —Pete Wells, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French carpenter, charpenter, from Latin carpentarius carriage maker, from carpentum carriage, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish carpat chariot, carr vehicle — more at car

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1815, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing carpenter

• carpenter ant
• carpenter bee

Kids Definition

carpenter

noun

car·​pen·​ter

ˈkär-pən-tər,

ˈkärp-ᵊm-tər

: a worker who builds or repairs wooden structures

carpenter verb