diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -3043,7 +3043,7 @@ commitopts = [
 
 commitopts2 = [
     ('d', 'date', '', _('record datecode as commit date')),
-    ('u', 'user', '', _('record user as committer')),
+    ('u', 'user', '', _('record the specified user as committer')),
 ]
 
 templateopts = [
diff --git a/tests/test-record.out b/tests/test-record.out
--- a/tests/test-record.out
+++ b/tests/test-record.out
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ options:
  -m --message       use <text> as commit message
  -l --logfile       read commit message from <file>
  -d --date          record datecode as commit date
- -u --user          record user as committer
+ -u --user          record the specified user as committer
 
 use "hg -v help record" to show global options
 % select no files