diff --git a/hspec.cabal b/hspec.cabal
--- a/hspec.cabal
+++ b/hspec.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:             hspec
-version:          1.12.3
+version:          1.12.4
 license:          MIT
 license-file:     LICENSE
 copyright:        (c) 2011-2014 Simon Hengel,
diff --git a/src/Test/Hspec.hs b/src/Test/Hspec.hs
--- a/src/Test/Hspec.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Hspec.hs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 import           Control.Exception (finally)
 import           Control.Concurrent.MVar
 
-import           Test.Hspec.Core.Type hiding (describe, it)
+import           Test.Hspec.Core.Type
 import           Test.Hspec.Runner
 import           Test.Hspec.HUnit ()
 import           Test.Hspec.Expectations
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 
 -- | Combine a list of specs into a larger spec.
 describe :: String -> Spec -> Spec
-describe label spec = runIO (runSpecM spec) >>= fromSpecList . return . Core.describe label
+describe label spec = runIO (runSpecM spec) >>= fromSpecList . return . Core.specGroup label
 
 -- | An alias for `describe`.
 context :: String -> Spec -> Spec
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 -- >   it "returns a positive number when given a negative number" $
 -- >     absolute (-1) == 1
 it :: Example a => String -> a -> Spec
-it label action = fromSpecList [Core.it label action]
+it label action = fromSpecList [Core.specItem label action]
 
 -- | An alias for `it`.
 specify :: Example a => String -> a -> Spec
diff --git a/src/Test/Hspec/Core.hs b/src/Test/Hspec/Core.hs
--- a/src/Test/Hspec/Core.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Hspec/Core.hs
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 , LocationAccuracy(..)
 , mapSpecItem
 , modifyParams
+, specGroup
+, specItem
+
+-- * Deprecated functions
 , describe
 , it
 ) where
@@ -33,3 +37,11 @@
 
 modifyParams :: (Params -> Params) -> Spec -> Spec
 modifyParams f = mapSpecItem $ \item -> item {itemExample = \p -> (itemExample item) (f p)}
+
+{-# DEPRECATED describe "use `specGroup` instead" #-}
+describe :: String -> [SpecTree] -> SpecTree
+describe = specGroup
+
+{-# DEPRECATED it "use `specItem` instead" #-}
+it :: Example a => String -> a -> SpecTree
+it = specItem
diff --git a/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Type.hs b/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Type.hs
--- a/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Type.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Hspec/Core/Type.hs
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 , Progress
 , ProgressCallback
 
-, describe
-, it
+, specGroup
+, specItem
 , forceResult
 
 , runIO
@@ -124,17 +124,17 @@
 , locationAccuracy :: LocationAccuracy
 } deriving (Eq, Show)
 
--- | The @describe@ function combines a list of specs into a larger spec.
-describe :: String -> [SpecTree] -> SpecTree
-describe s = SpecGroup msg
+-- | The @specGroup@ function combines a list of specs into a larger spec.
+specGroup :: String -> [SpecTree] -> SpecTree
+specGroup s = SpecGroup msg
   where
     msg
       | null s = "(no description given)"
       | otherwise = s
 
--- | Create a spec item.
-it :: Example a => String -> a -> SpecTree
-it s e = SpecItem $ Item requirement Nothing False (evaluateExample e)
+-- | The @specItem@ function creates a spec item.
+specItem :: Example a => String -> a -> SpecTree
+specItem s e = SpecItem $ Item requirement Nothing False (evaluateExample e)
   where
     requirement
       | null s = "(unspecified behavior)"
diff --git a/src/Test/Hspec/Discover.hs b/src/Test/Hspec/Discover.hs
--- a/src/Test/Hspec/Discover.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Hspec/Discover.hs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import           Control.Monad.Trans.State
 
 import           Test.Hspec
-import           Test.Hspec.Core.Type hiding (describe)
+import           Test.Hspec.Core.Type
 import           Test.Hspec.Runner
 import           Test.Hspec.Runner.Tree
 import           Test.Hspec.Formatters
diff --git a/src/Test/Hspec/HUnit.hs b/src/Test/Hspec/HUnit.hs
--- a/src/Test/Hspec/HUnit.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Hspec/HUnit.hs
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
   where
     go :: Test -> SpecTree
     go t_ = case t_ of
-      TestLabel s (TestCase e)  -> it s e
-      TestLabel s (TestList xs) -> describe s (map go xs)
-      TestLabel s x             -> describe s [go x]
-      TestList xs               -> describe "<unlabeled>" (map go xs)
-      TestCase e                -> it  "<unlabeled>" e
+      TestLabel s (TestCase e)  -> specItem s e
+      TestLabel s (TestList xs) -> specGroup s (map go xs)
+      TestLabel s x             -> specGroup s [go x]
+      TestList xs               -> specGroup "<unlabeled>" (map go xs)
+      TestCase e                -> specItem  "<unlabeled>" e
diff --git a/test/Test/Hspec/Core/TypeSpec.hs b/test/Test/Hspec/Core/TypeSpec.hs
--- a/test/Test/Hspec/Core/TypeSpec.hs
+++ b/test/Test/Hspec/Core/TypeSpec.hs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 import           Data.List
 import           Data.IORef
 
-import qualified Test.Hspec.Core.Type as H hiding (describe, it)
+import qualified Test.Hspec.Core.Type as H
 import qualified Test.Hspec as H
 import qualified Test.Hspec.Runner as H