panopticon (pan-OP-ti-kon) noun

   A building, as a prison, hospital, library, or the like, so arranged
   that all parts of the interior are visible from a single point.

[Pan- + Greek optikon sight, seeing (neuter of optikos).]

   "We know that they know they are being watched by a contemporary writer;
   but inside this careful panopticon they live and breathe fully as free
   fictional characters."
   James Wood, The Palpable Past-Intimate, New Republic, Mar 27, 2000.

This week's theme: words that make one say, I didn't know there was a word
for that.

.............................................................................
Avarice, envy, pride, / Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all / On
Fire. -Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) [The Divine Comedy]

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Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/panopticon.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/panopticon.ram