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 However, carpenter ants, amongst other communities, have lost this ability due to evolution. Jennifer Vilcarino, ABC News, 3 July 2024 But the Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus)—a centimeter-long insect native to the southern United States—lost that gland over evolutionary time. Byhumberto Basilio, science.org, 2 July 2024 But over time, some species — including Camponotus floridanus, also known as carpenter ants — have evolutionarily lost them. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 July 2024 Florida carpenter ants were observed performing surgery on each other. Jennifer Vilcarino, ABC News, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for carpenter ant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carpenter ant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near carpenter ant

Cite this Entry

“Carpenter ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpenter%20ant. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

carpenter ant

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

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