diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/patches.py b/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
index 396f316c3880..d7b326bb01a8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
@@ -720,7 +720,8 @@ def __init__(self, xy, width, height, angle=0.0, **kwargs):
         Parameters
         ----------
         xy : (float, float)
-            The bottom and left rectangle coordinates
+            The rectangle extends from xy[0] to xy[0] + width in
+            x-direction and from xy[1] to xy[1] + height in y-direction.
         width : float
             Rectangle width
         height : float