carpentry

noun

car·​pen·​try ˈkär-pən-trē 

1

: the art or trade of a carpenter

specifically : the art of shaping and assembling structural woodwork

2

: timberwork constructed by a carpenter

3

: the form or manner of putting together the parts (as of a literary or musical composition)

Examples of carpentry in a Sentence

He learned carpentry from his father.

When the carpentry is finished, the cabinets will be installed.

Recent Examples on the Web

And young people have increasingly turned to trade jobs such as welding, plumbing, and carpentry over white-collar positions. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026

Check out demonstrations in blacksmithing, broom making, basket making, carpentry, and open-hearth cooking. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2026

Otherwise, given your total lack of patience when assembling IKEA furniture, your interest in carpentry lies. —Talia Argondezzi, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026

After his discharge, Schifano made cabinets and architectural drawings, worked for five years as a carpenter and eventually went to college, becoming a woodshop and carpentry teacher with Chicago Public Schools. —Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

carpentry

noun

car·​pen·​try ˈkär-pən-trē 

ˈkärp-ᵊm-trē

: the work or trade of a carpenter