diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index bf3c3476..b5a27aed 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ usage(int code)
     fprintf(stderr, "Use: %s [OPTIONS]\n"
             "\n"
             "Options:\n"
-            " -b DIR   wal directory\n"
+            " -b DIR   write-ahead log directory\n"
             " -f MS    fsync at most once every MS milliseconds"
                        " (use -f0 for \"always fsync\")\n"
             " -F       never fsync (default)\n"
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ usage(int code)
             " -p PORT  listen on port (default is " Portdef ")\n"
             " -u USER  become user and group\n"
             " -z BYTES set the maximum job size in bytes (default is %d)\n"
-            " -s BYTES set the size of each wal file (default is %d)\n"
+            " -s BYTES set the size of each write-ahead log file (default is %d)\n"
             "            (will be rounded up to a multiple of 512 bytes)\n"
             " -c       compact the binlog (default)\n"
             " -n       do not compact the binlog\n"