Expert dropping article on ground in Crete is low-key character (9)
I believe the answer is:
reticence
'low-key character' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both human attributes as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'expert dropping article on ground in crete' is the wordplay.
'expert' becomes 'ace' (ace can informally mean very good).
'dropping' indicates named letters should be taken away.
'article' becomes 'a' (the indefinite article in English).
'on' indicates putting letters inside.
'ground' indicates an anagram ('grind' the letters into a new form).
'ace' with 'a' removed is 'ce'.
'in'+'crete'='increte'
'increte' is an anagram of 'retince'.
'ce' put inside 'retince' is 'RETICENCE'.
'is' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for reticence that I've seen before include "Quality of being sparing in communication" , "Unwillingness to talk" , "Restraint" , "Shyness" , "modesty" .)