With mockery a rite's made to look silly (6)
I believe the answer is:
satire
'with mockery' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how they can define each other.
'a rite's made to look silly' is the wordplay.
'made to look silly' is an anagram indicator (a silly spelling).
'a'+'rites'='arites'
'arites' anagrammed gives 'SATIRE'.
(Other definitions for satire that I've seen before include "Political humour" , "Mockery" , "Work of ridicule" , "burlesque" , "Pointed humour" .)