diff --git a/man2/socket.2 b/man2/socket.2
index 7fad8f645..ed696c524 100644
--- a/man2/socket.2
+++ b/man2/socket.2
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ socket \- create an endpoint for communication
 .BI "int socket(int " domain ", int " type ", int " protocol );
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 .BR socket ()
-creates an endpoint for communication and returns a descriptor.
+creates an endpoint for communication and returns a file descriptor
+that refers to that endpoint.
 .PP
 The
 .I domain