sherpa

sherpa — noun

1. A member of a Himalayan community living mainly in the mountains of eastern Nepa

1.nounB1
Definition

A member of a Himalayan community living mainly in the mountains of eastern Nepal, known for their skill in climbing at high altitudes and often employed as guides or porters on mountain expeditions.

Example

The expedition hired two experienced Sherpas to help carry supplies up to the base camp.

countable plural: Sherpas + experienced

Walid learned that Sherpas can climb at very high altitudes without getting altitude sickness.

Common collocations
  • Sherpa guide
  • Sherpa porter
  • experienced Sherpa
  • Sherpa community
  • Sherpa people
  • Sherpa culture
  • hire a Sherpa
Synonyms
  • guide

    broader term; a person who leads others through unfamiliar places, not limited to mountain settings

  • porter

    a person employed to carry luggage or supplies; a porter does not necessarily have climbing skills

  • mountaineer

    a person who climbs mountains, often as a sport; not tied to any specific ethnic group

Grammar Patterns

a Sherpa + noun (as modifier)

the Sherpa (when referring to the ethnic group)

Usage Note

Frequently capitalized when referring to the ethnic group. The plural form can be either 'Sherpa' (unchanged) or 'Sherpas'; both are accepted. When referring to the ethnic community as a whole, use 'the Sherpa' or 'the Sherpa people'.

Common Mistakes

The sherpa carried my bag up the mountain.
The Sherpa carried my bag up the mountain.
When referring to a person, Sherpa is usually capitalized.

2. A thick, soft synthetic fabric with a fluffy surface that is designed to look an

2.nounB2
Definition

A thick, soft synthetic fabric with a fluffy surface that is designed to look and feel like sheepskin with the wool still on it. It is commonly used for making warm winter clothing such as jackets, coats, hats, and linings.

Example

Tyler bought a warm jacket lined with sherpa for his winter trip to Hokkaido.

collocation: sherpa lining / lined with sherpa

The coat's sherpa collar felt soft and fluffy against Wei's cheek.

sherpa + noun modifier: sherpa collar

Common collocations
  • sherpa jacket
  • sherpa lining
  • sherpa collar
  • sherpa fabric
  • sherpa hoodie
  • lined with sherpa
Synonyms
  • faux sheepskin

    more specific trade term for synthetic sheepskin; less common in everyday shopping contexts

  • fleece

    a different synthetic fabric that is thinner and less fluffy; often used for athletic wear rather than coat linings

Grammar Patterns

sherpa + noun (as modifier)

a/the sherpa + noun

Usage Note

This sense is always written in lowercase. The fabric was given the name because its fluffy wool-like appearance reminded people of the warm clothing traditionally worn by Sherpa communities in the Himalayas.

Common Mistakes

I washed my sherpa jacket in hot water and the fabric shrank.
I washed my sherpa jacket in cold water and hung it to dry.
Sherpa fabric is synthetic and can be damaged by heat; cold water and air drying are recommended.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sherpa, guide, porter, and mountaineer all relate to people working in or around mountains, but they differ in scope and cultural specificity. 'Sherpa' refers specifically to a member of an ethnic group in the Himalayan region of Nepal, though the word is also used as a job title for mountain assistants regardless of ethnicity in climbing contexts. 'Guide' is a much broader term — anyone who leads travellers through unfamiliar territory, whether in a city, a forest, or a museum. 'Porter' focuses on the job of carrying luggage or supplies; porters do not need climbing skills. 'Mountaineer' describes someone who climbs mountains as a sport or profession, but carries no ethnic or geographic restriction — a mountaineer could be from any country. For example: 'The expedition hired two Sherpas to manage the high-altitude camp' (ethnicity + job), whereas 'A local guide showed the trekkers the trail through the valley' (job only, not necessarily Sherpa).

Sherpa ↗guide ↗porter ↗mountaineer

Etymology

TibetanEnglish

The word comes from the Tibetan ཤར་པ (shar pa), meaning 'eastern people' — from ཤར (shar, 'east') and པ (pa, 'people'). The Sherpa people originally migrated from eastern Tibet to the high mountain valleys of Nepal several hundred years ago. In the 20th century, as Himalayan mountaineering grew, the Sherpas became internationally known for their climbing expertise. The fabric sense emerged much later (early 2000s) as a marketing term: manufacturers named the fluffy synthetic material 'sherpa' to evoke the warmth and wool-like texture of traditional Sherpa clothing.