@var{pattern} may contain a @samp{%} which acts as a wildcard,
matching any number of any characters within a word. If
@var{replacement} also contains a @samp{%}, the @samp{%} is replaced
-by the text that matched the @samp{%} in @var{pattern}. Only the first
-@samp{%} in the @var{pattern} and @var{replacement} is treated this
-way; any subsequent @samp{%} is unchanged.@refill
+by the text that matched the @samp{%} in @var{pattern}. Words that do
+not match the pattern are kept without change in the output. Only the
+first @samp{%} in the @var{pattern} and @var{replacement} is treated
+this way; any subsequent @samp{%} is unchanged.@refill
@cindex @code{%}, quoting in @code{patsubst}
@cindex @code{%}, quoting with @code{\} (backslash)