The scientific study of soil is known as pedology. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, pedology is the 'scientific study of soil, especially its formation, nature, and classification'. It is derived from pedo- (Greek vóv), meaning ground or earth, and the suffix log, denoting. A science or field of knowledge.

In the United States, pediatrics can be confused with pedology or pediatrics (commonly spelled pediatrics), which is derived from pedo-, meaning child. Pedology, as a term for the scientific study of soil, is more commonly used in Europe than in the United States. The French and Russian derivatives of pedology and pedologic studies were introduced in the 19th century. A person who practices pedology is a pedologist.

The scientific branch of Pedology deals with pedogenesis, soil morphology, and soil classification, while edaphology studies the way soils influence plants, fungi, and other living things.