Sherpa

[ sher-puh, shur- ]

/ ˈʃɛr pə, ˈʃɜr- /

a member of a people of Tibetan stock living in the Nepalese Himalayas, who often serve as porters on mountain-climbing expeditions.

(sometimes lowercase) an expert chosen by a chief executive to assist in preparations for a summit meeting.

Example sentences from the Web for sherpa

The sherpa strike left you with no highest mountain to climb?

Now That Everest Is Closed, Check Out These Other Extreme Adventures |Nina Strochlic |May 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The pride of Kathmandu is a cross-country skier named — I kid you not — Sherpa.

The Olympics Are Already Two Days Old. This Is Your Test. |Kevin Bleyer |February 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
His humility is refreshing; Sherpa himself expects a last-place finish.

The Olympics Are Already Two Days Old. This Is Your Test. |Kevin Bleyer |February 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
These headlamps, Sher realized, belonged to a team of Sherpa descending to base camp.

Death on Killer Mountain |Amanda Padoan |July 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

Amanda Padoan is a co-author of Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day.

Death on Killer Mountain |Amanda Padoan |July 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

sherpa

/ (ˈʃɜːpə) /

an official who makes preparations for or assists a government representative or important delegate at a summit meeting or conference

C20: from Sherpa, a member of a people noted for providing assistance to mountaineers: from a pun on the different senses of summit

Sherpa

/ (ˈʃɜːpə) /

a member of a people of Mongolian origin living on the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal, noted as mountaineers