Crossword Genius

Demote oldest pastor, essentially for being shy (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

modest

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'being shy' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for modest that I've seen before include "Mussorgsky, nominally?" , "Prudent" , "'Unassuming, diffident (6)'" , "Bashful" , "Having a humble opinion of oneself" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.