diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index bf9127c69f..d7f6a8bfb1 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -2879,6 +2879,36 @@
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-HOST_CC_ARCH'><glossterm>HOST_CC_ARCH</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Specifies architecture-specific compiler flags that are
+                    passed to the C compiler.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    Default initialization for <filename>HOST_CC_ARCH</filename>
+                    varies depending on what is being built:
+                    <itemizedlist>
+                        <listitem><para>
+                            <link linkend='var-TARGET_CC_ARCH'><filename>TARGET_CC_ARCH</filename></link>
+                            when building for the target
+                            </para></listitem>
+                        <listitem><para>
+                            <filename>BUILD_CC_ARCH</filename>
+                            when building for the build host (i.e.
+                            <filename>native</filename>)
+                            </para></listitem>
+                        <listitem><para>
+                            <filename>BUILDSDK_CC_ARCH</filename>
+                            when building for an SDK (i.e.
+                            <filename>nativesdk</filename>)
+                            </para></listitem>
+                    </itemizedlist>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
         <glossentry id='var-HOST_SYS'><glossterm>HOST_SYS</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>