One at the top in English literature (5)
I believe the answer is:
eliot
'one at the top in english literature' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'one at the top in english literature' is the wordplay.
'at the top' says to take the initial letters.
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation).
'literature' becomes 'lit' (abbreviation).
The first letter of 'one' is 'o'.
'e'+'lit'='elit'
'o' placed inside 'elit' is 'ELIOT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eliot that I've seen before include "Author of Adam Bede, d.1880" , "Four Quartets poet" , "Female novelist" , "British poet, d. 1965" , "T.S. --, poet" .)