Which term refers to the study of how sounds are organized to form words?

The term that refers to the study of how sounds are organized to form words is phonology. Phonology focuses on the rules and patterns of sounds in a particular language. It involves understanding how phonemes, the smallest units of sound, are combined to create meaningful words, as well as how they vary in different contexts and dialects. This field examines aspects such as syllable structure, stress patterns, and intonation, which are essential for producing and understanding spoken language.

In contrast, pragmatics deals with the use of language in social contexts and how meaning is constructed beyond the literal interpretation, while metalinguistics involves thinking about and analyzing language itself. Perlocutionary refers to the effects that spoken language has on the listeners, focusing on the impact of speech sounds rather than their organization. Thus, phonology is specifically concerned with the systematic organization of sounds, making it the correct answer in this context.