carpenter ant

noun

: an ant (especially genus Camponotus) that gnaws galleries especially in dead or decaying wood

Illustration of carpenter ant

Illustration of carpenter ant

Examples of carpenter ant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The spores attach to the target insect, such as a carpenter ant, and germinate, spreading through the host’s body via long tendrils called mycelia. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026 Look At The Insect’s Body Shape One of the easiest ways to distinguish a carpenter ant from a termite is to take a close look at its body. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026 Other potential pest ant species found in California include odorous house ants, pavement ants, pharaoh ants, southern fire ants, and carpenter ants. — The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026 Most species are a nuisance, but carpenter ants cause structural damage. — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carpenter ant was in 1883

Rhymes for carpenter ant

See All Rhymes for carpenter ant

Browse Nearby Words

carpenter's square
carpenter ant
carpenter bee
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carpenter ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpenter%20ant. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

carpenter ant

noun
: any of several ants that nest and gnaw passageways in dead or decaying wood

More from Merriam-Webster on carpenter ant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carpenter ant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All