Sailor with Elizabeth and senior nun (6)
I believe the answer is:
abbess
'senior nun' is the definition.
'abbess' can be an answer for 'nun' (I have seen 'Superior nun ' mean 'abbess' so perhaps 'nun' could also mean 'abbess'). I'm not sure about the 'senior' bit.
'sailor with elizabeth' is the wordplay.
'sailor' becomes 'ab' (abbreviation for able seaman).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'elizabeth' becomes 'Bess' (nickname).
'ab'+'bess'='ABBESS'
'and' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for abbess that I've seen before include "superior to her sisters!" , "Mother superior" , "Nuns' leader" , "Religious leader" , "Principal of convent" .)