diff --git a/source/reference/user-privileges.txt b/source/reference/user-privileges.txt
index 69f09bb48dd..5f9a83c81e7 100644
--- a/source/reference/user-privileges.txt
+++ b/source/reference/user-privileges.txt
@@ -158,8 +158,9 @@ Administrative Roles
 .. authrole:: clusterAdmin
 
    :authrole:`clusterAdmin` grants access to several administration
-   options :term:`replica set` and :term:`sharded cluster`
-   administrative functions.
+   operations that affect or present information about the whole system,
+   rather than just a single database, including (but not limited to)
+   :term:`replica set` and :term:`sharded cluster` administrative functions.
 
    :authrole:`clusterAdmin` is only applicable on the ``admin``
    database.