diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el
index 9b13cedc988..b10a085552d 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el
@@ -581,12 +581,14 @@ don't have EOL terminated statements. "
 (c-lang-defvar c-at-vsemi-p-fn (c-lang-const c-at-vsemi-p-fn))
 
 (c-lang-defconst c-vsemi-status-unknown-p-fn
-  "Contains a function \"are we unsure whether there is a virtual semicolon on this line?\".
-The (admittedly kludgy) purpose of such a function is to prevent an infinite
-recursion in c-beginning-of-statement-1 when point starts at a `while' token.
-The function MUST NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES call c-beginning-of-statement-1,
-even indirectly.  This variable contains nil for languages which don't have
-EOL terminated statements."
+  "Contains a predicate regarding the presence of virtual semicolons.
+More precisely, the function answers the question, \"are we unsure whether a
+virtual semicolon exists on this line?\".  The (admittedly kludgy) purpose of
+such a function is to prevent an infinite recursion in
+`c-beginning-of-statement-1' when point starts at a `while' token.  The function
+MUST NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES call `c-beginning-of-statement-1', even
+indirectly.  This variable contains nil for languages which don't have EOL
+terminated statements."
   t nil
   (c c++ objc) 'c-macro-vsemi-status-unknown-p
   awk 'c-awk-vsemi-status-unknown-p)