diff --git a/library/core/src/macros/mod.rs b/library/core/src/macros/mod.rs
index d5efb03cfbcbf..b21845a1c169c 100644
--- a/library/core/src/macros/mod.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/macros/mod.rs
@@ -1273,6 +1273,19 @@ pub(crate) mod builtin {
     /// first macro invocation leading up to the invocation of the `file!`
     /// macro.
     ///
+    /// The file name is derived from the crate root's source path passed to the Rust compiler
+    /// and the sequence the compiler takes to get from the crate root to the
+    /// module containing `file!`, modified by any flags passed to the Rust compiler (e.g.
+    /// `--remap-path-prefix`).  If the crate's source path is relative, the initial base
+    /// directory will be the working directory of the Rust compiler.  For example, if the source
+    /// path passed to the compiler is `./src/lib.rs` which has a `mod foo;` with a source path of
+    /// `src/foo/mod.rs`, then calling `file!` inside `mod foo;` will return `./src/foo/mod.rs`.
+    ///
+    /// Future compiler options might make further changes to the behavior of `file!`,
+    /// including potentially making it entirely empty. Code (e.g. test libraries)
+    /// relying on `file!` producing an openable file path would be incompatible
+    /// with such options, and might wish to recommend not using those options.
+    ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
     /// ```