diff --git a/Documentation/diff-options.txt b/Documentation/diff-options.txt
index 573fb9bb71..706c69bc82 100644
--- a/Documentation/diff-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/diff-options.txt
@@ -446,7 +446,8 @@ endif::git-format-patch[]
 --abbrev[=<n>]::
 	Instead of showing the full 40-byte hexadecimal object
 	name in diff-raw format output and diff-tree header
-	lines, show only a partial prefix.
+	lines, show the shortest prefix that is at least '<n>'
+	hexdigits long that uniquely refers the object.
 	In diff-patch output format, `--full-index` takes higher
 	precedence, i.e. if `--full-index` is specified, full blob
 	names will be shown regardless of `--abbrev`.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-blame.txt b/Documentation/git-blame.txt
index 7e81541996..34b496d485 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-blame.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-blame.txt
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ include::blame-options.txt[]
 
 --abbrev=<n>::
 	Instead of using the default 7+1 hexadecimal digits as the
-	abbreviated object name, use <n>+1 digits. Note that 1 column
+	abbreviated object name, use <m>+1 digits, where <m> is at
+	least <n> but ensures the commit object names are unique.
+	Note that 1 column
 	is used for a caret to mark the boundary commit.
 
 
diff --git a/Documentation/git-branch.txt b/Documentation/git-branch.txt
index ace4ad3da8..adaa1782a8 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-branch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-branch.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
 'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [--show-current]
-	[-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]]
+	[-v [--abbrev=<n> | --no-abbrev]]
 	[--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [--sort=<key>]
 	[--merged [<commit>]] [--no-merged [<commit>]]
 	[--contains [<commit>]] [--no-contains [<commit>]]
@@ -194,8 +194,10 @@ This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
 	Be more quiet when creating or deleting a branch, suppressing
 	non-error messages.
 
---abbrev=<length>::
-	Alter the sha1's minimum display length in the output listing.
+--abbrev=<n>::
+	In the verbose listing that show the commit object name,
+	show the shortest prefix that is at least '<n>' hexdigits
+	long that uniquely refers the object.
 	The default value is 7 and can be overridden by the `core.abbrev`
 	config option.
 
diff --git a/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt b/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt
index 3cb2ebb438..cbcf5263dd 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 		[--exclude-standard]
 		[--error-unmatch] [--with-tree=<tree-ish>]
 		[--full-name] [--recurse-submodules]
-		[--abbrev] [--] [<file>...]
+		[--abbrev[=<n>]] [--] [<file>...]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ a space) at the start of each line:
 
 --abbrev[=<n>]::
 	Instead of showing the full 40-byte hexadecimal object
-	lines, show only a partial prefix.
+	lines, show the shortest prefix that is at least '<n>'
+	hexdigits long that uniquely refers the object.
 	Non default number of digits can be specified with --abbrev=<n>.
 
 --debug::
diff --git a/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt b/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
index a7515714da..db02d6d79a 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ OPTIONS
 
 --abbrev[=<n>]::
 	Instead of showing the full 40-byte hexadecimal object
-	lines, show only a partial prefix.
+	lines, show the shortest prefix that is at least '<n>'
+	hexdigits long that uniquely refers the object.
 	Non default number of digits can be specified with --abbrev=<n>.
 
 --full-name::
diff --git a/Documentation/pretty-options.txt b/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
index 17c5aac4b7..27ddaf84a1 100644
--- a/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ configuration (see linkgit:git-config[1]).
 
 --abbrev-commit::
 	Instead of showing the full 40-byte hexadecimal commit object
-	name, show only a partial prefix.  Non default number of
-	digits can be specified with "--abbrev=<n>" (which also modifies
-	diff output, if it is displayed).
+	name, show a prefix that names the object uniquely.
+	"--abbrev=<n>" (which also modifies diff output, if it is displayed)
+	option can be used to specify the minimum length of the prefix.
 +
 This should make "--pretty=oneline" a whole lot more readable for
 people using 80-column terminals.