carpentry

American  

[kahr-puhn-tree] / ˈkɑr pən tri /

noun

1. the trade of a carpenter.

   He earned his living at carpentry.

2. the work produced by a carpenter.

3. the way in which something, especially a work of literature, is structured.

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carpentry British  

/ ˈkɑːpɪntrɪ /

noun

1. the art or technique of working wood

2. the work produced by a carpenter; woodwork

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Etymology

Origin of carpentry

1350–1400; Middle English carpentrie < Old North French < Latin carpentāria ( fabrica ) carriage-maker's (workshop). See carpenter, -y ³

Compare meaning

How does carpentry compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• carpentry vs. woodworking

Example Sentences

The play has the old-fashioned carpentry of a solid one-act or mid-century short story.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

He does not earn enough from the sport to quit his carpentry business.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

And he practiced traditional West African carpentry techniques while serving in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

“So I’ve done that, I’ve tried to be useful in growing food and I’ve also taken up carpentry as well.”

From MarketWatch • Nov. 20, 2025

“If you are interested in carpentry, I will be glad to have you as my apprentice. But knowing your father, I could probably guess that you want to go to school,” my uncle said.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah