diff --git a/library/core/src/num/f128.rs b/library/core/src/num/f128.rs
index d3d1eebc22753..c7c28f2af2a23 100644
--- a/library/core/src/num/f128.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/num/f128.rs
@@ -194,16 +194,22 @@ impl f128 {
     #[unstable(feature = "f128", issue = "116909")]
     pub const MAX: f128 = 1.18973149535723176508575932662800702e+4932_f128;
 
-    /// One greater than the minimum possible normal power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MIN_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// ≥&nbsp;0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all normal numbers representable by this type are
+    /// greater than or equal to 0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>MIN_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[unstable(feature = "f128", issue = "116909")]
     pub const MIN_EXP: i32 = -16_381;
-    /// Maximum possible power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MAX_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// &lt;&nbsp;1&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all numbers representable by this type are
+    /// strictly less than 2<sup><i>MAX_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[unstable(feature = "f128", issue = "116909")]
     pub const MAX_EXP: i32 = 16_384;
 
diff --git a/library/core/src/num/f16.rs b/library/core/src/num/f16.rs
index dceb30177e668..8615b8d82e64d 100644
--- a/library/core/src/num/f16.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/num/f16.rs
@@ -189,16 +189,22 @@ impl f16 {
     #[unstable(feature = "f16", issue = "116909")]
     pub const MAX: f16 = 6.5504e+4_f16;
 
-    /// One greater than the minimum possible normal power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MIN_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// ≥&nbsp;0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all normal numbers representable by this type are
+    /// greater than or equal to 0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>MIN_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[unstable(feature = "f16", issue = "116909")]
     pub const MIN_EXP: i32 = -13;
-    /// Maximum possible power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MAX_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// &lt;&nbsp;1&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all numbers representable by this type are
+    /// strictly less than 2<sup><i>MAX_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[unstable(feature = "f16", issue = "116909")]
     pub const MAX_EXP: i32 = 16;
 
diff --git a/library/core/src/num/f32.rs b/library/core/src/num/f32.rs
index c97dbfb63ae17..60e37c10fd2db 100644
--- a/library/core/src/num/f32.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/num/f32.rs
@@ -440,16 +440,22 @@ impl f32 {
     #[stable(feature = "assoc_int_consts", since = "1.43.0")]
     pub const MAX: f32 = 3.40282347e+38_f32;
 
-    /// One greater than the minimum possible normal power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MIN_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// ≥&nbsp;0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all normal numbers representable by this type are
+    /// greater than or equal to 0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>MIN_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[stable(feature = "assoc_int_consts", since = "1.43.0")]
     pub const MIN_EXP: i32 = -125;
-    /// Maximum possible power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MAX_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// &lt;&nbsp;1&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all numbers representable by this type are
+    /// strictly less than 2<sup><i>MAX_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[stable(feature = "assoc_int_consts", since = "1.43.0")]
     pub const MAX_EXP: i32 = 128;
 
diff --git a/library/core/src/num/f64.rs b/library/core/src/num/f64.rs
index 91affdb3794b0..48c7263447a79 100644
--- a/library/core/src/num/f64.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/num/f64.rs
@@ -439,16 +439,22 @@ impl f64 {
     #[stable(feature = "assoc_int_consts", since = "1.43.0")]
     pub const MAX: f64 = 1.7976931348623157e+308_f64;
 
-    /// One greater than the minimum possible normal power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MIN_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// ≥&nbsp;0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact minimum possible *normal* power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all normal numbers representable by this type are
+    /// greater than or equal to 0.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>MIN_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[stable(feature = "assoc_int_consts", since = "1.43.0")]
     pub const MIN_EXP: i32 = -1021;
-    /// Maximum possible power of 2 exponent.
+    /// One greater than the maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 1 ≤ x < 2 (i.e. the IEEE definition).
     ///
-    /// If <i>x</i>&nbsp;=&nbsp;`MAX_EXP`, then normal numbers
-    /// &lt;&nbsp;1&nbsp;×&nbsp;2<sup><i>x</i></sup>.
+    /// This corresponds to the exact maximum possible power of 2 exponent
+    /// for a significand bounded by 0.5 ≤ x < 1 (i.e. the C definition).
+    /// In other words, all numbers representable by this type are
+    /// strictly less than 2<sup><i>MAX_EXP</i></sup>.
     #[stable(feature = "assoc_int_consts", since = "1.43.0")]
     pub const MAX_EXP: i32 = 1024;