diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/count.json b/rest-api-spec/api/count.json
index fb2c3b7b774..af3735104f8 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/count.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/count.json
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the node or shard the operation should be performed on (default: random)"
         },
         "routing": {
           "type" : "string",
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/exists.json b/rest-api-spec/api/exists.json
index bc119252b12..bf5aa527e95 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/exists.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/exists.json
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the shard the operation should be performed on (default: random shard)"
         },
         "realtime": {
           "type" : "boolean",
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/explain.json b/rest-api-spec/api/explain.json
index 6a2f6f2985c..25e0e7082cf 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/explain.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/explain.json
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the node or shard the operation should be performed on (default: random)"
         },
         "q": {
           "type" : "string",
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/get.json b/rest-api-spec/api/get.json
index b010cc70dfc..c4e4d9ed48e 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/get.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/get.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the shard the operation should be performed on (default: random shard)"
         },
         "realtime": {
           "type" : "boolean",
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/mget.json b/rest-api-spec/api/mget.json
index b071c894415..5d4abf74df8 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/mget.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/mget.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the shard the operation should be performed on (default: random shard)"
         },
         "realtime": {
           "type" : "boolean",
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/search.json b/rest-api-spec/api/search.json
index 1cf0b5b43cb..9ed58293712 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/search.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/search.json
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the node or shard the operation should be performed on (default: random)"
         },
         "q": {
           "type" : "string",
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/api/suggest.json b/rest-api-spec/api/suggest.json
index e4462e5a6c1..5003193a126 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/api/suggest.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/api/suggest.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
         },
         "preference": {
           "type" : "string",
-          "description" : "Specify the node the operation should be performed on (default: random node)"
+          "description" : "Specify the node or shard the operation should be performed on (default: random)"
         },
         "routing": {
           "type" : "string",