Etymology Map
Back to all words

Panorama

2 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means an unbroken view of a whole region

Where does the word "panorama" come from? It comes from Greek pan + horama, adopted directly into English (1789).

1
Stage 1 of 2
pan + horama
Greek · ancient
"all-view"
'all' plus 'view, sight'
2
Stage 2 of 2
panorama
English · 1789
"wide view"
coined by the Irish painter Robert Barker for his 360-degree paintings, shown in a rotunda in London's Leicester Square from 1793
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Panorama’s story begins in Greek: pan + horama meant “all-view.” 'all' plus 'view, sight'. It reached English by 1789 as panorama. Coined by the Irish painter Robert Barker for his 360-degree paintings, shown in a rotunda in London's Leicester Square from 1793. Today, panorama means an unbroken view of a whole region.