diff --git a/docs/system/system-metrics.md b/docs/system/system-metrics.md
index 2c604cefc9..91f4606aa9 100644
--- a/docs/system/system-metrics.md
+++ b/docs/system/system-metrics.md
@@ -230,7 +230,10 @@ This metric is [opt-in][MetricOptIn].
 <!-- semconv metric.system.memory.shared(metric_table) -->
 | Name     | Instrument Type | Unit (UCUM) | Description    | Stability |
 | -------- | --------------- | ----------- | -------------- | --------- |
-| `system.memory.shared` | UpDownCounter | `By` | Reports shared memory. Memory used (mostly) by tmpfs. | ![Experimental](https://img.shields.io/badge/-experimental-blue) |
+| `system.memory.shared` | UpDownCounter | `By` | Shared memory used (mostly by tmpfs). [1] | ![Experimental](https://img.shields.io/badge/-experimental-blue) |
+
+**[1]:** Equivalent of `shared` from [`free` command](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/free.1.html) or
+`Shmem` from [`/proc/meminfo`](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/proc.5.html)"
 <!-- endsemconv -->
 
 <!-- semconv metric.system.memory.shared(full) -->
diff --git a/model/metrics/system-metrics.yaml b/model/metrics/system-metrics.yaml
index d4abffc4da..7d0ab1eb96 100644
--- a/model/metrics/system-metrics.yaml
+++ b/model/metrics/system-metrics.yaml
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ groups:
     type: metric
     metric_name: system.memory.shared
     stability: experimental
-    brief: "Reports shared memory. Memory used (mostly) by tmpfs."
+    brief: "Shared memory used (mostly by tmpfs)."
+    note: |
+      Equivalent of `shared` from [`free` command](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/free.1.html) or
+      `Shmem` from [`/proc/meminfo`](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/proc.5.html)"
     instrument: updowncounter
     unit: "By"