Charge of French writer diminished Italian poet (9)
I believe the answer is:
dependant
'charge' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'of french writer diminished italian poet' is the wordplay.
'of french' becomes 'de' ('of' in French).
'writer' becomes 'pen' (something which writes).
'diminished' means to remove the last letter.
'italian poet' becomes 'Dante' (Dante Alighieri).
'dante' with its final letter taken away is 'dant'.
'de'+'pen'+'dant'='DEPENDANT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dependant that I've seen before include "Dented pan? (anag)" , "Subject to" , "Protg" , "Client" , "Child maybe" .)