Verse in Ariosto delights (3)
I believe the answer is:
ode
'verse' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'in ariosto delights' is the wordplay.
'in' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'ODE' is hidden in the letters of 'ariosto delights'.
(Other definitions for ode that I've seen before include "Lyric poem" , "Poetic composition" , "Verse form" , "- - to a 12 Urn" , "Poem expressing noble feelings" .)