Elitist sent back excellent miniature (6)
I believe the answer is:
bonsai
'miniature' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how they can define each other.
'elitist sent back excellent' is the wordplay.
'elitist' becomes 'snob' (I've seen this in another clue).
'sent back' is a reversal indicator.
'excellent' becomes 'ai' (resembles 'A1', old-fashioned term for excellent).
'snob' back-to-front is 'bons'.
'bons'+'ai'='BONSAI'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bonsai that I've seen before include "Tiny Japanese tree" , "The art of growing ornamental dwarfed plants" , "Japanese shrub" , "(Cultivation of) dwarf trees" , "Japanese art of growing dwarf trees" .)