diff --git a/doc_src/printf.txt b/doc_src/printf.txt
index 6c3ed558d..81082a264 100644
--- a/doc_src/printf.txt
+++ b/doc_src/printf.txt
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ printf format [argument...]
 \endfish
 
 \subsection printf-description Description
-A front end to the printf function that lets it be used from the shell.
+printf formats the string FORMAT with ARGUMENT, and displays the result.
 
-This tool reads a format string, and then outputs the arguments according to that format.
+The string FORMAT should contain format specifiers, each of which are replaced with successive arguments according to the specifier. Specifiers are detailed below, and are taken from the C library function `printf(3)`.
 
-Unlike `echo`, however, it does not append a newline unless explicitly directed to.
+Unlike `echo`, `printf` does not append a new line unless it is specified as part of the string.
 
 Valid format specifiers are:
 
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ printf also knows a number of backslash escapes:
 - `\uhhhh` 16-bit Unicode character (hhhh is 4 digits)
 - `\Uhhhhhhhh` 32-bit Unicode character (hhhhhhhh is 8 digits)
 
-The `format' argument is re-used as many times as necessary to convert all of the given arguments.
+The `format' argument is re-used as many times as necessary to convert all of the given arguments. If a format specifier is not appropriate for the given argument, an error is printed. For example, `printf '%d' "102.234"` produces an error, as "102.234" cannot be formatted as an integer.
 
-This file has been imported from source code of printf command in GNU Coreutils version 6.9. If you would like to use a newer version of printf, for example the one shipped with your OS, try `command printf`.
+This file has been imported from the printf in GNU Coreutils version 6.9. If you would like to use a newer version of printf, for example the one shipped with your OS, try `command printf`.
 
 \subsection printf-example Example