Learner given excellent name being entertained by elder? (7)
I believe the answer is:
trainee
'learner' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'excellent name being entertained by elder?' is the wordplay.
'excellent' becomes 'ai' (resembles 'A1', old-fashioned term for excellent).
'name' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation e.g. on forms).
'being entertained by' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are hosted or entertained).
'elder?' becomes 'tree' (elder is a type of tree).
'ai'+'n'='ain'
'ain' inserted into 'tree' is 'TRAINEE'.
'given' is the link.
(Other definitions for trainee that I've seen before include "21 [TYRO]" , "One being instructed" , "encountered bad weather in driving area" , "Person being taught" , "Person under instruction" .)