diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst b/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst
index a83dd54d6b..889eb51c7a 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst
@@ -8911,31 +8911,31 @@ system and gives an overview of their function and contents.
          those files into the sysroot.
 
    :term:`STAGING_DIR_HOST`
-      Specifies the path to the sysroot directory for the system on which
-      the component is built to run (the system that hosts the component).
-      For most recipes, this sysroot is the one in which that recipe's
-      :ref:`ref-tasks-populate_sysroot` task copies
-      files. Exceptions include ``-native`` recipes, where the
-      :ref:`ref-tasks-populate_sysroot` task instead uses
-      :term:`STAGING_DIR_NATIVE`. Depending on
-      the type of recipe and the build target, :term:`STAGING_DIR_HOST` can
-      have the following values:
+      Specifies the path to the recipe's input sysroot directory, populated with files
+      for the system on which the component is built to run
+      (the system that hosts the component).
+      For most recipes, this sysroot is populated by their
+      :ref:`ref-tasks-populate_sysroot` task (when sharing files
+      between recipes). Exceptions include native recipes, for which the files from
+      :ref:`ref-tasks-populate_sysroot` task are instead copied to
+      :term:`STAGING_DIR_NATIVE`. Depending on the type of recipe and the build target,
+      :term:`STAGING_DIR_HOST` can have the following values:
 
       -  For recipes building for the target machine, the value is
-         "${:term:`STAGING_DIR`}/${:term:`MACHINE`}".
+         ``"${RECIPE_SYSROOT}"``, check :term:`RECIPE_SYSROOT`.
 
-      -  For native recipes building for the build host, the value is empty
-         given the assumption that when building for the build host, the
-         build host's own directories should be used.
+      -  For native recipes (building for the :term:`build host`), the value is empty
+         given the assumption that when building for the :term:`build host`, the
+         :term:`build host`'s own directories should be used.
 
          .. note::
 
-            ``-native`` recipes are not installed into host paths like such
-            as ``/usr``. Rather, these recipes are installed into
-            :term:`STAGING_DIR_NATIVE`. When compiling ``-native`` recipes,
+            Native recipe files are not installed into host paths such
+            as ``/usr``. Rather, such files are installed into
+            :term:`STAGING_DIR_NATIVE`. When compiling native recipes,
             standard build environment variables such as
             :term:`CPPFLAGS` and
-            :term:`CFLAGS` are set up so that both host paths
+            :term:`CFLAGS` are set up so that both :term:`build host`'s paths
             and :term:`STAGING_DIR_NATIVE` are searched for libraries and
             headers using, for example, GCC's ``-isystem`` option.
 
@@ -8943,16 +8943,15 @@ system and gives an overview of their function and contents.
             should be viewed as input variables by tasks such as
             :ref:`ref-tasks-configure`,
             :ref:`ref-tasks-compile`, and
-            :ref:`ref-tasks-install`. Having the real system
-            root correspond to :term:`STAGING_DIR_HOST` makes conceptual sense
-            for ``-native`` recipes, as they make use of host headers and
-            libraries.
-
-      Check :term:`RECIPE_SYSROOT` and :term:`RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE`.
+            :ref:`ref-tasks-install`. Having the real system root
+            (the :term:`build host`'s root) play the role of :term:`STAGING_DIR_HOST`
+            makes conceptual sense for native recipes, as they make use
+            of the :term:`build host`'s headers and libraries.
 
    :term:`STAGING_DIR_NATIVE`
-      Specifies the path to the sysroot directory used when building
-      components that run on the build host itself.
+      Specifies the path to the recipe's input sysroot directory, populated with
+      files provided by native recipes (recipes building components that
+      run on the :term:`build host` itself).
 
       The default value is ``"${RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE}"``,
       check :term:`RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE`.