Catholic priest mad about E and some monks? (9)
I believe the answer is:
celibates
'some monks?' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'catholic priest mad about e' is the wordplay.
'catholic' becomes 'C' (abbreviation as in RC for Roman Catholic).
'priest' becomes 'eli' (biblical figure).
'mad' becomes 'bats' (informal term for mad).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'bats' enclosing 'e' is 'bates'.
'c'+'eli'+'bates'='CELIBATES'
'and' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for celibates that I've seen is " unmarried men?".)