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Long-standing mate in the mornings has every letter makes words (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

acronyms

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'words' is the definition.
(acronym is a kind of word)

'long-standing mate in the mornings has every letter' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'mate' could be 'crony' (I've seen this before) and 'crony' is located in the answer.
'mornings' could be 'ams' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'ams' is present in the remaining letters.
This accounts for all the letters.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'makes' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for acronyms that I've seen before include "entities formed initially, one can say" , "NICAM and the like" , "Words formed from the initials of others" , "Words made from the initials of others" , "Words made from first letters of other words" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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