Develop torso or stems (5)
I believe the answer is:
roots
'stems' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to communication as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'develop torso' is the wordplay.
'develop' indicates anagramming the letters.
'torso' anagrammed gives 'ROOTS'.
'or' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for roots that I've seen before include "Antecedents" , "Cultural origins" , "Searches vigorously" , "Underground parts of plants" , "one's ancestry" .)