panoptic

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The Word of the Day for July 22 is:

panoptic   \pan-OP-tik\   adjective
     : being or presenting a comprehensive or panoramic view

Example sentence:
     At the top of the mountain is a sightseeing point that provides climbers 
with a panoptic view of the surrounding valleys.
 
Did you know?
     The establishment of "panoptic" in the English language can be attributed 
to two inventions known as panopticons. The more well-known panopticon was 
conceived by the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1787. Bentham's 
panopticon was a circular prison with cells arranged around a central tower 
from which guards could see the inmates at all times. The other panopticon, 
also created in the 18th century, was a device containing pictures of 
attractions, such as European capitals, that people viewed through an opening. 
Considering the views that both inventions gave, it is not hard to see why 
"panoptic" (a word derived from Greek "panoptes," meaning "all-seeing") was 
being used by the early 19th century.






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