Cryptic crossword clue
Cate composed in defeat gives a wave 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word WHITECAP

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
W
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T
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The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does WHITECAP mean?

WHITECAP noun
  1. Any of several birds having a white patch on the head.
  2. A wave having a white crest; a breaker.
  3. A member of a self-appointed vigilante committee that carried out lynchings. Some early ones wore white hoods or masks.

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