diff --git a/shellcheck.1.md b/shellcheck.1.md
index abf2ff3..8671d1e 100644
--- a/shellcheck.1.md
+++ b/shellcheck.1.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ not warn at all, as `ksh` supports decimals in arithmetic contexts.
 
 **-S**\ *SEVERITY*,\ **--severity=***severity*
 
-:   Specify maximum severity of errors to consider. Valid values are *error*,
+:   Specify minimum severity of errors to consider. Valid values are *error*,
     *warning*, *info* and *style*.    The default is *style*.
 
 **-s**\ *shell*,\ **--shell=***shell*
diff --git a/shellcheck.hs b/shellcheck.hs
index 52866ff..ef7eb24 100644
--- a/shellcheck.hs
+++ b/shellcheck.hs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ data Options = Options {
     checkSpec        :: CheckSpec,
     externalSources  :: Bool,
     formatterOptions :: FormatterOptions,
-    maxSeverity      :: Severity
+    minSeverity      :: Severity
 }
 
 defaultOptions = Options {
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ defaultOptions = Options {
     formatterOptions = FormatterOptions {
         foColorOption = ColorAuto
     },
-    maxSeverity = StyleC
+    minSeverity = StyleC
 }
 
 usageHeader = "Usage: shellcheck [OPTIONS...] FILES..."
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ options = [
         "Specify dialect (sh, bash, dash, ksh)",
     Option "S" ["severity"]
         (ReqArg (Flag "severity") "SEVERITY")
-        "Maximum severity of errors to consider (error, warning, info, style)",
+        "Minimum severity of errors to consider (error, warning, info, style)",
     Option "V" ["version"]
         (NoArg $ Flag "version" "true") "Print version information",
     Option "x" ["external-sources"]
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ parseOption flag options =
         Flag "severity" severity ->
             return options {
                 checkSpec = (checkSpec options) {
-                    csMaxSeverity = parseSeverityOption severity
+                    csMinSeverity = parseSeverityOption severity
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/src/ShellCheck/Checker.hs b/src/ShellCheck/Checker.hs
index 23f60ba..dc17364 100644
--- a/src/ShellCheck/Checker.hs
+++ b/src/ShellCheck/Checker.hs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ checkScript sys spec = do
             (parseMessages ++ map translator analysisMessages)
 
     shouldInclude (PositionedComment _ _ (Comment severity code _)) =
-        severity <= csMaxSeverity spec &&
+        severity <= csMinSeverity spec &&
         code `notElem` csExcludedWarnings spec
 
     sortMessages = sortBy (comparing order)
diff --git a/src/ShellCheck/Interface.hs b/src/ShellCheck/Interface.hs
index 5e475b0..a0b93f2 100644
--- a/src/ShellCheck/Interface.hs
+++ b/src/ShellCheck/Interface.hs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ data CheckSpec = CheckSpec {
     csCheckSourced :: Bool,
     csExcludedWarnings :: [Integer],
     csShellTypeOverride :: Maybe Shell,
-    csMaxSeverity :: Severity
+    csMinSeverity :: Severity
 } deriving (Show, Eq)
 
 data CheckResult = CheckResult {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ emptyCheckSpec = CheckSpec {
     csCheckSourced = False,
     csExcludedWarnings = [],
     csShellTypeOverride = Nothing,
-    csMaxSeverity = StyleC
+    csMinSeverity = StyleC
 }
 
 newParseSpec :: ParseSpec