symbology

symbol +‎ -ology, with haplology of -olol- to -ol.

• (General American) IPA^(key): [sɪmˈbɑləd͡ʒi]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): [sɪmˈbɒləd͡ʒi]

symbology (countable and uncountable, plural symbologies)

1. (uncountable) The study or use of symbols.
2. (countable) An encoding scheme, particularly for barcodes.
   • 2012, Harvey Lehpamer, RFID Design Principles, Artech House, →ISBN, page 51:

     Two-dimensional symbologies provide a means of storing large amounts of data in a very small space. Stacked symbologies (linear bar codes stacked on top of each other), matrix symbologies (comprising a matrix of light and dark elements, circles, squares, or hexagons), and packet symbologies (a collection of linear symbols “randomly” arranged on a page) are commonly used.

• semiology
• semiotics