diff --git a/Doc/library/fractions.rst b/Doc/library/fractions.rst
index 8796056b4b8722..05075f81f2d642 100644
--- a/Doc/library/fractions.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/fractions.rst
@@ -121,12 +121,11 @@ another rational number, or from a string.
 
    .. attribute:: numerator
 
-      Numerator of the Fraction in lowest term.
+      Numerator of the Fraction in lowest terms.
 
    .. attribute:: denominator
 
-      Denominator of the Fraction in lowest term.
-
+      Positive denominator of the Fraction in lowest terms.
 
    .. method:: as_integer_ratio()
 
diff --git a/Lib/numbers.py b/Lib/numbers.py
index a2913e32cfada7..8b2e8dfaa551ca 100644
--- a/Lib/numbers.py
+++ b/Lib/numbers.py
@@ -297,11 +297,13 @@ class Rational(Real):
     @property
     @abstractmethod
     def numerator(self):
+        """The numerator of a rational number in lowest terms."""
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     @property
     @abstractmethod
     def denominator(self):
+        """The (positive) denominator of a rational number in lowest terms."""
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     # Concrete implementation of Real's conversion to float.