Returned a Spanish greeting with Hawaiian affection (5)
I believe the answer is:
aloha
'hawaiian affection' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.
'returned a spanish greeting' is the wordplay.
'returned' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'spanish greeting' becomes 'hola' ('hola' is a greeting in Spanish).
'a'+'hola'='ahola'
'ahola' reversed gives 'ALOHA'.
'with' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for aloha that I've seen before include "16 across in Hawaii" , "Hello from Honolulu?" , "A Hawaiian welcome" , "Hawaiian farewell" , "Hello or goodbye in Hawaii" .)