diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 35d5d0900..4af1f6542 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ Deprecated
 * ``sphinx.io.SphinxFileInput.supported``
 * ``sphinx.io.SphinxRSTFileInput``
 * ``sphinx.registry.SphinxComponentRegistry.add_source_input()``
+* ``sphinx.roles.abbr_role()``
 * ``sphinx.testing.util.remove_unicode_literal()``
 * ``sphinx.util.attrdict``
 * ``sphinx.util.force_decode()``
diff --git a/doc/extdev/index.rst b/doc/extdev/index.rst
index 56f2e7cee..08b9a9e65 100644
--- a/doc/extdev/index.rst
+++ b/doc/extdev/index.rst
@@ -365,6 +365,11 @@ The following is a list of deprecated interfaces.
      - 4.0
      - ``sphinxcontrib.jsmath``
 
+   * - ``sphinx.roles.abbr_role()``
+     - 2.0
+     - 4.0
+     - ``sphinx.roles.Abbreviation``
+
    * - ``sphinx.testing.util.remove_unicode_literal()``
      - 2.0
      - 4.0
diff --git a/sphinx/roles.py b/sphinx/roles.py
index 53ea144d8..e9a8786ca 100644
--- a/sphinx/roles.py
+++ b/sphinx/roles.py
@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@
 """
 
 import re
+import warnings
 
 from docutils import nodes, utils
 
 from sphinx import addnodes
+from sphinx.deprecation import RemovedInSphinx40Warning
 from sphinx.errors import SphinxError
 from sphinx.locale import _
 from sphinx.util import ws_re
+from sphinx.util.docutils import SphinxRole
 from sphinx.util.nodes import split_explicit_title, process_index_entry, \
     set_role_source_info
 
@@ -338,6 +341,8 @@ _abbr_re = re.compile(r'\((.*)\)$', re.S)
 
 def abbr_role(typ, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner, options={}, content=[]):
     # type: (str, str, str, int, Inliner, Dict, List[str]) -> Tuple[List[nodes.Node], List[nodes.system_message]]  # NOQA
+    warnings.warn('abbr_role() is deprecated.  Please use Abbrevation class instead.',
+                  RemovedInSphinx40Warning, stacklevel=2)
     text = utils.unescape(text)
     m = _abbr_re.search(text)
     if m is None:
@@ -349,6 +354,21 @@ def abbr_role(typ, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner, options={}, content=[]):
     return [nodes.abbreviation(abbr, abbr, **options)], []
 
 
+class Abbreviation(SphinxRole):
+    abbr_re = re.compile(r'\((.*)\)$', re.S)
+
+    def run(self):
+        # type: () -> Tuple[List[nodes.Node], List[nodes.system_message]]
+        matched = self.abbr_re.search(self.text)
+        if matched:
+            text = self.text[:matched.start()].strip()
+            self.options['explanation'] = matched.group(1)
+        else:
+            text = self.text
+
+        return [nodes.abbreviation(self.rawtext, text, **self.options)], []
+
+
 def index_role(typ, rawtext, text, lineno, inliner, options={}, content=[]):
     # type: (str, str, str, int, Inliner, Dict, List[str]) -> Tuple[List[nodes.Node], List[nodes.system_message]]  # NOQA
     # create new reference target
@@ -390,7 +410,7 @@ specific_docroles = {
     'menuselection': menusel_role,
     'file': emph_literal_role,
     'samp': emph_literal_role,
-    'abbr': abbr_role,
+    'abbr': Abbreviation(),
     'index': index_role,
 }  # type: Dict[str, RoleFunction]