Etcher regularly cut brilliant Ancient Greek heroine (6)

I believe the answer is:

thrace

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'ancient greek heroine' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.

'etcher regularly cut brilliant' is the wordplay.
'regularly cut' means one should take alternating letters.
'brilliant' becomes 'ace' (I've seen this before).
The alternate letters of 'etcher' are 'thr'.
'thr'+'ace'='THRACE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for thrace that I've seen before include "Ancient area around Bulgaria" , "Ancient Balkan region" , "ancient land" , "ancient Balkan country" , "old country" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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