diff --git a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-docs.factor b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-docs.factor
index a0dea4e539..b221051efc 100755
--- a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-docs.factor
+++ b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types-docs.factor
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ HELP: unbox-return
 { $notes "This is an internal word used by the compiler when compiling callbacks." } ;
 
 HELP: define-deref
-{ $values { "name" "a word name" } }
+{ $values { "c-type" "a C type" } }
 { $description "Defines a word " { $snippet "*name" } " with stack effect " { $snippet "( c-ptr -- value )" } " for reading a value with C type " { $snippet "name" } " stored at an alien pointer." }
 { $notes "This is an internal word called when defining C types, there is no need to call it on your own." } ;
 
 HELP: define-out
-{ $values { "name" "a word name" } }
+{ $values { "c-type" "a C type" } }
 { $description "Defines a word " { $snippet "<" { $emphasis "name" } ">" } " with stack effect " { $snippet "( value -- array )" } ". This word allocates a byte array large enough to hold a value with C type " { $snippet "name" } ", and writes the value at the top of the stack to the array." }
 { $notes "This is an internal word called when defining C types, there is no need to call it on your own." } ;
 
diff --git a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor
index 1252836491..1245aedc32 100755
--- a/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor
+++ b/basis/alien/c-types/c-types.factor
@@ -297,11 +297,11 @@ M: long-long-type box-parameter ( n c-type -- )
 M: long-long-type box-return ( c-type -- )
     f swap box-parameter ;
 
-: define-deref ( name -- )
+: define-deref ( c-type -- )
     [ name>> CHAR: * prefix "alien.c-types" create ] [ c-getter 0 prefix ] bi
     (( c-ptr -- value )) define-inline ;
 
-: define-out ( word -- )
+: define-out ( c-type -- )
     [ name>> "alien.c-types" constructor-word ]
     [ dup c-setter '[ _ heap-size (byte-array) [ 0 @ ] keep ] ] bi
     (( value -- c-ptr )) define-inline ;