From Greek 'meta' (after) + 'hodos' (road) — a method is a path toward understanding, same road root as 'exodus.'
A particular procedure for accomplishing or approaching something, especially a systematic or established one.
From Latin methodus, from Greek méthodos (μέθοδος, pursuit of knowledge, systematic investigation, method), literally a following after, from metá (after, along, beyond) + hodós (way, road, journey, path). The original image is of following a road — a method is the path you walk to reach understanding, the route rather than the destination. Greek hodós (way) derives from PIE *sed- (to go, to travel). The same Greek word hodós appears in exodus (a way out), episode
The '-od' in 'method' is the same Greek root 'hodós' (road) hiding in 'exodus' (road out), 'period' (road around), 'episode' (road into), 'synod' (road together, a meeting), 'cathode' (road down), and 'anode' (road up). Electricity's cathode and anode are literally the 'downward road' and 'upward road' that current travels.