American novelist of taste, elegance (5)
I believe the answer is:
steel
'american novelist' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.
'of taste elegance' is the wordplay.
'of' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'STEEL' can be found hidden inside 'taste elegance'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for steel that I've seen before include "Form of iron" , "Structural metal alloy" , "Strength, determination" , "nerve" , "Mixture of carbon and iron" .)