Scandinavian goddesses, and not Poles (5)
I believe the answer is:
norns
'scandinavian goddesses' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'and not poles' is the wordplay.
'and not' becomes 'nor' ('nor' means 'and also not').
'poles' becomes 'NS' (North and South poles).
'nor'+'ns'='NORNS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for norns that I've seen before include "Fatally, they're Scandinavians" , "Fates of Scandinavians" , "Fates of Norse myth" .)