methodology

noun

meth·​od·​ol·​o·​gy ˌme-thə-ˈdä-lə-jē How to pronounce methodology (audio)
plural methodologies
1
: a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline : a particular procedure or set of procedures
demonstrating library research methodology
the issue is massive revision of teaching methodologyBob Samples
2
: the analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a particular field

Did you know?

Methodology and Science

The methodology employed in an experiment is essential to its success, and bad methodology has spoiled thousands of research projects. So whenever a piece of research is published in a scientific or medical journal, the researchers always carefully describe their methodology; otherwise, other scientists couldn't possibly judge the quality of what they've done.

Examples of methodology in a Sentence

He blamed the failure of their research on poor methodology. for solving crossword puzzles my usual methodology is to begin by filling in all of the answers I'm reasonably sure of
Recent Examples on the Web Consumer advocates worry the methodology for estimating the costs of future fires will not be adequately transparent and burden homeowners with excessive premiums. Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024 At least one offsets leader has overhauled its methodology. Evan Halper, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024 To learn more about the methodology and see the complete list of the rankings, visit divein.com. Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2024 The company, priding itself on being Woman Owned and Service Disabled Veteran Owned, specializes in assessing data loss exposure, conducting thorough needs assessments, and fortifying data security through cutting-edge IT security methodologies and industry best practices. William Mullane, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024 In Deloitte’s 2023 survey, 63% of respondents said that revisiting and refreshing the overall third-party risk management methodology is their top focus area for investment. Prasad Sabbineni, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Douglas and Ressler laid the foundation for modern profiling methodologies, revolutionizing the approach to understanding criminal behavior. Callie Cassick, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024 Although one cryptographer uploaded a video rundown of their methodology to YouTube in 2020, the team’s new whitepaper further shows just how much work went into accomplishing their feat. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 Apr. 2024 Now, there are concerns that the school system’s new methodology doesn’t fully capture how much need is on a campus, and schools that need additional federal funding may not get it. Nicole Asbury, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'methodology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin methodologia, from Latin methodus + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of methodology was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near methodology

Cite this Entry

“Methodology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methodology. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on methodology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!