carpenter bee

American

noun

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

carpenter bee British

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of carpenter bee

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In September a different study published in the journal Communications Biology revealed that carpenter bee mothers spend an unusually large amount of time with their offspring because it helps them ward off potentially deadly diseases.

From Salon • Oct. 17, 2023

It's known as a carpenter bee because they typically nest in wood.

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2023

In some carpenter bee species, females nest in groups, living alongside their daughters or other adult female bees.

From New York Times • Mar. 20, 2021

Children taste different types of honey and examine the differences between honeybee and carpenter bee specimens.

From US News • Nov. 23, 2015

A carpenter bee flies into your classroom window.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023