a member of a people of Tibetan descent living in the Nepalese Himalayas, who often serve as porters on mountain-climbing expeditions.
a Tibetic language spoken by the Sherpa.
Sometimes sherpa an expert chosen by a chief executive to assist in preparations for a summit meeting.
First recorded in 1840–50; from Sherpa sharpa, equiavalent to shar “east” + pa “people” (referring to the origin of this people in eastern Tibet)
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dawa Sherpa was last seen above Camp 3, at around 7,500m.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
As hopes of his survival faded, Dawa Sherpa had slowly been making his way back, and on Thursday he was spotted by a cleaning crew as he slid slowly down the world's tallest mountain.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
"I spoke to the doctors -- he has some frostbite, but otherwise seems okay," Pemba Sherpa added.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
His wife Damu Sherpa said her family was overjoyed.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
All told, sixteen climbers summitted that day, including the Swede who’d ridden his bike to Nepal from Stockholm, Goran Kropp, and Ang Rita Sherpa, whose ascent marked his tenth visit to the top of Everest.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
