Priest regularly dropping bits of éclair (3)

I believe the answer is:

eli

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'priest' is the definition.
(biblical figure)

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for eli that I've seen before include "Old Testament high priest" , "Distort then untruth to get a Biblical character" , "Highest priest at Shiloh" , "- Whitney invented the cotton gin in seventeen ninety three" , "Religious character" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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