diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index b5030e728..cc3cbbdd2 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ Translations
 Bugs fixed
 ----------
 
-- C++, added support for 'extern' and 'thread_local'.
+- C++, added support for ``extern`` and ``thread_local``.
+- C++, type declarations are now using the prefixes ``typedef``, ``using``, and ``type``,
+  depending on the style of declaration.
 
 
 Release 1.4 (released Mar 28, 2016)
diff --git a/doc/domains.rst b/doc/domains.rst
index 803a4343c..2aaf218c0 100644
--- a/doc/domains.rst
+++ b/doc/domains.rst
@@ -629,9 +629,26 @@ a visibility statement (``public``, ``private`` or ``protected``).
 
    A type alias can also be templated::
 
-      .. cpp:type:: template<typename T>
+      .. cpp:type:: template<typename T> \
                     MyContainer = std::vector<T>
 
+   The example are rendered as follows.
+
+   .. cpp:type:: std::vector<int> MyList
+
+      A typedef-like declaration of a type.
+
+   .. cpp:type:: MyContainer::const_iterator
+
+      Declaration of a type alias with unspecified type.
+
+   .. cpp:type:: MyType = std::unordered_map<int, std::string>
+
+      Declaration of a type alias.
+
+   .. cpp:type:: template<typename T> \
+                 MyContainer = std::vector<T>
+
 
 .. rst:directive:: .. cpp:enum:: unscoped enum declaration
                    .. cpp:enum-struct:: scoped enum declaration
diff --git a/sphinx/domains/cpp.py b/sphinx/domains/cpp.py
index 6b106df52..b436745f3 100644
--- a/sphinx/domains/cpp.py
+++ b/sphinx/domains/cpp.py
@@ -1933,6 +1933,12 @@ class ASTType(ASTBase):
         res.append(text_type(self.decl))
         return u''.join(res)
 
+    def get_type_declaration_prefix(self):
+        if self.declSpecs.trailingTypeSpec:
+            return 'typedef'
+        else:
+            return 'type'
+
     def describe_signature(self, signode, mode, env, symbol):
         _verify_description_mode(mode)
         self.declSpecs.describe_signature(signode, 'markType', env, symbol)
@@ -1997,6 +2003,9 @@ class ASTTypeUsing(ASTBase):
             res.append(text_type(self.type))
         return u''.join(res)
 
+    def get_type_declaration_prefix(self):
+        return 'using'
+
     def describe_signature(self, signode, mode, env, symbol):
         _verify_description_mode(mode)
         self.name.describe_signature(signode, mode, env, symbol=symbol)
@@ -2210,7 +2219,9 @@ class ASTDeclaration(ASTBase):
             mainDeclNode += addnodes.desc_annotation(self.visibility + " ",
                                                      self.visibility + " ")
         if self.objectType == 'type':
-            mainDeclNode += addnodes.desc_annotation('type ', 'type ')
+            prefix = self.declaration.get_type_declaration_prefix()
+            prefix += ' '
+            mainDeclNode += addnodes.desc_annotation(prefix, prefix)
         elif self.objectType == 'member':
             pass
         elif self.objectType == 'function':