sherpa

plural sherpas

1. countableA local mountain guide or porter, particularly a male of the Nepalese Sherpa people so employed.

   Climbers have warned of overcrowding on K2 — the world’s second highest mountain and one of its deadliest — after a sherpa took video of queues snaking towards the summit.

   2022 August 1, Emma Yeomans, Fiona Kingston, “Overcrowding on K2 as climbers queue to reach peak”, in The Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 01 Aug 2022, UK News

2. countableAn expert accompanying a high-ranking leader to a summit meeting.
3. countableuncountableA synthetic fabric with a long, thick pile, similar to faux fur, imitation lamb wool, or fleece.

present singular third person sherpas · participle present sherpaing · participle past sherpaed · past sherpaed

1. rareTo serve as a guide or porter for another.

plural Sherpas

1. A member of a particular Himalayan ethnic group living in Nepal and Tibet, known especially as mountaineers.
2. A high-ranking government official who works tirelessly in the background to conclude the text of an official communiqué, typically from a G7 or G20 summit.

   Sherpas from the European Union and 19 countries worked through the week to salvage a meaningful joint statement, culminating in an all-night session on Friday.

   2018 December 1, Julian Borger, “G20 agreement backs 'rules-based' order but bows to Trump on trade reforms”, in The Guardian, London, United Kingdom, →ISSN, archived from the original on 29 Apr 2019

1. The Southern Tibetan language of these people.