Crossword Genius

Lovely being by island (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

peri

'lovely' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'by island' is the wordplay.
'by' becomes 'per'.
'island' becomes 'i'.
'per'+'i'='PERI'

'being' is the link.

(Other definitions for peri that I've seen before include "Type of disembodied spirit or graceful young girl" , "Ripe as a kind of fairy" , "Fairy of Persian myth" , "Fairy (Pers. mythology)" , "Fairy queen" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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