A transparent glass bowl used to keep pet fish, or metaphorically, a situation where someone's life or activities are constantly watched by others.
Compound word from 'fish' plus 'bowl.' The metaphorical meaning emerged in the 1900s when people began using 'fishbowl' to describe public scrutiny, especially regarding celebrities and politicians.
Living in a 'fishbowl' became a psychological phrase for how fame removes privacy—the image perfectly captures how goldfish can't escape observation, just like celebrities can't escape public scrutiny!
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