The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word CLERISY
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
C
L
E
R
I
S
Y
Buddy explains!

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 CLERISY mean?
CLERISY noun- An elite group of intellectuals; learned people, the literati.
- The clergy, or their opinions, as opposed to the laity.