Often exemplary individual (3)
I believe the answer is:
one
'individual' is the definition.
(an individual is one person)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for one that I've seen before include "SECOND PART OF 16" , "Leading cardinal" , "Single, sole" , "doesn't count for much" , "Unit" .)