diff --git a/docs/contributing.txt b/docs/contributing.txt
index 0ea719faad..6fbcc3bd15 100644
--- a/docs/contributing.txt
+++ b/docs/contributing.txt
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ documentation:
 
 	* **Python** -- when referring to the language, capitalize Python.
 
-	* **Realize**, **customize**, **initialize**, etc. -- use the American
+	* **realize**, **customize**, **initialize**, etc. -- use the American
 	  "ize" suffix, not "ise."
 
 	* **SQLite**