carpenter bee

noun

any of several solitary bees of the family Apidae that nest in solid wood, boring tunnels in which to deposit their eggs.

Origin of carpenter bee

First recorded in 1830–40

Words nearby carpenter bee

carpel, carpellate, carpentaria, carpenter, carpenter ant, carpenter bee, carpenter gothic, carpenter moth, carpenter's syndrome, carpentering, carpentersville

Example sentences from the Web for carpenter bee

British Dictionary definitions for carpenter bee

carpenter bee

noun

any large solitary bee of the genus Xylocopa and related genera that lays its eggs in tunnels bored into wood or in plant stems: family Apidae