Setter -- a social elitist -- knocked over potted plant (6)
I believe the answer is:
bonsai
'potted plant' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both plants as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'setter a social elitist knocked over' is the wordplay.
'setter' becomes 'I' (the person who set this crossword).
'social elitist' becomes 'snob' (I've seen this in another clue. I am not sure about the 'social' bit.).
'knocked over' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'i'+'a'+'snob'='iasnob'
'iasnob' reversed gives 'BONSAI'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bonsai that I've seen before include "Small tree" , "Very little tree" , "Art of dwarfing shrubs" , "Little Japanese growth" , "Japanese method of cultivating miniature trees" .)