Crossword Genius

I worship nature but Im impressed by unusual saint (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

animist

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'i worship nature' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?

'im impressed by unusual saint' is the wordplay.
'impressed by' is an insertion indicator.
'unusual' indicates an anagram.
'saint' is an anagram of 'anist'.
'im' put within 'anist' is 'ANIMIST'.

'but' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for animist that I've seen before include "Believer that things have souls" , "life force?" , "One who sees life everywhere" , "person with spirited belief?" , "One attributing souls to many things" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Mail.
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