Crossword Genius

Ritual refusal to swallow a fish (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

pompano

'fish' is the definition.
(pompano is a kind of fish)

'ritual refusal to swallow a' is the wordplay.
'ritual' becomes 'pomp'.
'refusal' becomes 'no' (it's a no).
'to swallow' indicates putting letters inside.
'pomp'+'no'='pompno'
'pompno' placed around 'a' is 'POMPANO'.

(Another definition for pompano that I've seen is " Moon pap for a warm-water fatty fish".)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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