panopticadj.
/pəˈnɒptɪk/, /panˈɒptɪk/, U.S. /pænˈɑptɪk/ 1. All-seeing; (figurative) comprehensive, covering every aspect of a subject, all-encompassing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > types of vision > [adjective] > ability to see all
panoptic1826
1826 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 20 844 He..vainly conceits that the great forest of books will hide him from our panoptic view.
1856 J. Martineau Ess., Rev., & Addr. (1891) IV. 52 Any class of teachers free to assume this panoptic position.
1965 J. McPhee Sense of where you Are ii. 61 During a game, Bradley's eyes are always a glaze of panoptic attention.
1973 Times Lit. Suppl. 2 Mar. 238/5 Orwell's novel..is also narrowly political, where Huxley's is panoptic.
2002 Hist. Scotl. Jan. 52/2 The thrust of the (very brief) bibliographical essay is towards other work which has attempted a panoptic view of British history.
2. Of the nature of or relating to a panopticon; in which all can be seen.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > [adjective] > view or scenery > general or extensive
bird's eye1754
panoramic1796
panoptic1845
panoramical1846
panopticala1878
panoram1902
wraparound1950
1845 R. W. Hamilton Inst. Pop. Educ. ix. 239 The school [in France] is the ward of one great panoptic prisonhouse, with the keepers before the door.
1859–63 G. Ripley & C. A. Dana New Amer. Cycl. 599/1 Mr. Bentham published in 1799 a plan of what he called a panoptic prison.
1977 A. Sheridan tr. M. Foucault Discipline & Punish 217 We are neither in the amphitheatre, nor on the stage, but in the panoptic machine.
1999 M. Hulse tr. W. G. Sebald Vertigo (2000) ii. 65 I saw the hospital island of La Grazi with its circular panoptic building.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1826