diff --git a/usr.bin/printf/printf.1 b/usr.bin/printf/printf.1
index 8ee0de9655b4..aa3aa201dbfa 100644
--- a/usr.bin/printf/printf.1
+++ b/usr.bin/printf/printf.1
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ as zero;
 A character which indicates the type of format to use (one of
 .Cm diouxXfFeEgGaAcsb ) .
 The uppercase formats differ from their lowercase counterparts only in
-that the output of the latter is entirely in uppercase.
+that the output of the former is entirely in uppercase.
 .El
 .Pp
 A field width or precision may be