The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PROTEUS
P
R
O
T
E
U
S
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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 PROTEUS mean?
PROTEUS noun- Any of many gram-negative bacteria, of the genus Proteus, several of which are responsible for human infections.