diff --git a/src/wp-includes/formatting.php b/src/wp-includes/formatting.php
index 7140dc2c4e..2cb146af53 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/formatting.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/formatting.php
@@ -1843,12 +1843,15 @@ function force_balance_tags( $text ) {
  * it is simply a holder for the 'format_to_edit' filter.
  *
  * @since 0.71
+ * @since 4.4.0 The `$richedit` parameter was renamed to `$rich_text` for clarity.
  *
- * @param string $content  The text about to be edited.
- * @param bool   $richedit Whether the $content should not pass through htmlspecialchars(). Default false (meaning it will be passed).
+ * @param string $content   The text about to be edited.
+ * @param bool   $rich_text Optional. Whether `$content` should be considered rich text,
+ *                          in which case it would not be passed through esc_textarea().
+ *                          Default false.
  * @return string The text after the filter (and possibly htmlspecialchars()) has been run.
  */
-function format_to_edit( $content, $richedit = false ) {
+function format_to_edit( $content, $rich_text = false ) {
 	/**
 	 * Filter the text to be formatted for editing.
 	 *
@@ -1857,7 +1860,7 @@ function format_to_edit( $content, $richedit = false ) {
 	 * @param string $content The text, prior to formatting for editing.
 	 */
 	$content = apply_filters( 'format_to_edit', $content );
-	if ( ! $richedit )
+	if ( ! $rich_text )
 		$content = esc_textarea( $content );
 	return $content;
 }