A growth that may become a tree (5)
I believe the answer is:
acorn
'a growth that may become a tree' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.
'a growth' is the wordplay.
'growth' becomes 'corn' (I have seen 'digital growth' mean 'corn' so perhaps 'growth' could also mean 'corn').
'a'+'corn'='ACORN'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for acorn that I've seen before include "Nut of oak tree" , "from which something bigger may develop" , "Potential oak" , "Oak seed" , "form of seeding" .)