Most commonly a member of the Tibetan people living in or around the Nepalese Himalayas. Many of these people earn their living serving as porters and guides on expeditions into the mountains.

"Sherpa" has also come to mean an assistant to a chief executive who helps organize the preparations for a summit meeting.

A group of people who migrated from Tibet to Nepal. Because of their knowledge of the Himalayas and climbing, they became excellent guides for mountain climbers. Sherpa Guides became famous as the ones to hire to help you climb a mountain. The first people to reach the top of Mount Everest included a Sherpa.