ODOLOGY
The Study of Roads?

The word odology would seem impervious to etymological analysis - but in fact, it means the study of roads, and for good reason. Seeking that reason, we discover that the underlying root is the Greek word hodos which means something like "way" or "passage". And now that we have this interesting fact, we can use it as a key to open new doors of etymology.

• ergodic coined by Ludwig Boltzmann, comes from ergon "work, energy" and hodos "way, path".
• exodus comes from ektos "out" and hodos "way".
• exode, the final song in a Greek drama, comes from ektos "out" and hodos "way".
• odometer, which we think of as a mileage counter, uses the Greek work metron for "measure".
• cathode includes the Greek word kata for "down", and suggests the way down for electrons.
• anode includes the Greek word ana for "up";
• electrode includes the Greek word electron for "amber", the semiprecious stone with which Greeks had observed static electicity.
• method uses the Greek word meta for "means" or "development".
• episode includes the Greek words epi for "in addition" and eis for "into", and has the etymological meaning "coming in besides".
• hodograph uses the familiar Greek graphein for "write".
• period involves the Greek peri for "around" to suggest that a period is a complete circle or a path that returns.
• synod involves the Greek sun for "together", and suggests the meaning of a coming together of the ways.
• hypnody involves the Greek hypnos for "sleeping", and refers to the hibernating development path of insects.

Not the same:

• Odyssey
• parody, melody, monody, threnody, comedy, tragedy, which all come from Greek oide for "song".
• petalody, involves the Greek odes for "like" or "similar".