panorama
Meaning
a view of a wide area of land
a complete description of a series of events or a subject
Structure
Usage
from the hilltop, we enjoyed a breathtaking panorama of the city and the bay beyond.
the book provides a fascinating panorama of life in medieval europe.
the documentary offers a sweeping panorama of the political changes during the last century.
Etymology
the word 'panorama' is a modern formation from greek elements, coined in the late 18th century by the irish painter robert barker to describe his method of exhibiting a wide, continuous painting. it combines 'pan-', meaning 'all' or 'complete', with '-orama', derived from 'horama', meaning 'sight' or 'view'. the term originally described a literal all-encompassing visual scene but has since evolved metaphorically to signify any comprehensive survey or presentation of a subject. its construction follows the classical model of creating technical or artistic vocabulary from greek roots to convey a sense of breadth and totality.
Analysis
pan (from greek πᾶν (pan), meaning 'all', 'every', a combining form); orama (from greek ὅραμα (horama), meaning 'sight', 'view', a noun-forming suffix)