diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php
index 565fa4e..26ade20 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/FieldTypePluginManager.php
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ public function getUiDefinitions() {
           $definitions['field_ui:' . $id . ':' . $key] = [
             'label' => $option['label'],
           ] + $definition;
-
+          if (isset($option['description'])) {
+            $definitions['field_ui:' . $id . ':' . $key]['description'] = $option['description'];
+          }
           if (isset($option['category'])) {
             $definitions['field_ui:' . $id . ':' . $key]['category'] = $option['category'];
           }
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
index 70f9dc9..51c97c8 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/Plugin/Field/FieldType/EntityReferenceItem.php
@@ -633,6 +633,12 @@ public static function settingsAjaxSubmit($form, FormStateInterface $form_state)
   public static function getPreconfiguredOptions() {
     $options = [];
 
+    $description = '';
+    $plugin_definition = \Drupal::service('plugin.manager.field.field_type')->getDefinition('entity_reference');
+    if (isset($plugin_definition['description'])) {
+      $description = $plugin_definition['description'];
+    }
+
     // Add all the commonly referenced entity types as distinct pre-configured
     // options.
     $entity_types = \Drupal::entityManager()->getDefinitions();
@@ -644,6 +650,7 @@ public static function getPreconfiguredOptions() {
     foreach ($common_references as $entity_type) {
       $options[$entity_type->id()] = [
         'label' => $entity_type->getLabel(),
+        'description' => $description,
         'field_storage_config' => [
           'settings' => [
             'target_type' => $entity_type->id(),
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/PreconfiguredFieldUiOptionsInterface.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/PreconfiguredFieldUiOptionsInterface.php
index 684168a..35d5e6f 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/PreconfiguredFieldUiOptionsInterface.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Field/PreconfiguredFieldUiOptionsInterface.php
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
    * @return mixed[][]
    *   A multi-dimensional array with string keys and the following structure:
    *   - label: The label to show in the field type selection list.
+   *   - description: (optional) The description to be used when exposing this
+   *     field in the field type selection list.
    *   - category: (optional) The category in which to put the field label.
    *     Defaults to the category of the field type.
    *   - field_storage_config: An array with the following supported keys:
diff --git a/core/modules/field_ui/src/Form/FieldStorageAddForm.php b/core/modules/field_ui/src/Form/FieldStorageAddForm.php
index 584cc96..b355491 100644
--- a/core/modules/field_ui/src/Form/FieldStorageAddForm.php
+++ b/core/modules/field_ui/src/Form/FieldStorageAddForm.php
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ public function buildForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state, $entity_t
 
     // Gather valid field types.
     $field_type_options = [];
-    foreach ($this->fieldTypePluginManager->getGroupedDefinitions($this->fieldTypePluginManager->getUiDefinitions()) as $category => $field_types) {
+    $ui_definitions = $this->fieldTypePluginManager->getGroupedDefinitions($this->fieldTypePluginManager->getUiDefinitions());
+    foreach ($ui_definitions as $category => $field_types) {
       foreach ($field_types as $name => $field_type) {
         $field_type_options[$category][$name] = $field_type['label'];
       }
@@ -145,6 +146,36 @@ public function buildForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state, $entity_t
       ];
     }
 
+    // Show the field description, if it exists.
+    $form['description_wrapper'] = [
+      '#type' => 'container',
+      '#states' => [
+        '!visible' => [
+          ':input[name="new_storage_type"]' => ['value' => ''],
+        ],
+      ],
+    ];
+    $i = 0;
+    foreach ($ui_definitions as $category => $field_types) {
+      foreach ($field_types as $name => $field_type) {
+        if (empty($field_type['description'])) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        $form['description_wrapper']["description_{$name}_{$i}"] = [
+          '#type' => 'container',
+          '#states' => [
+            'visible' => [
+              ':input[name="new_storage_type"]' => ['value' => $name],
+            ],
+          ],
+        ];
+        $form['description_wrapper']["description_{$name}_{$i}"]['description'] = [
+          '#markup' => $field_type['description'],
+        ];
+        $i++;
+      }
+    }
+
     // Field label and field_name.
     $form['new_storage_wrapper'] = [
       '#type' => 'container',
diff --git a/core/modules/field_ui/tests/src/FunctionalJavascript/UiDescriptionsTest.php b/core/modules/field_ui/tests/src/FunctionalJavascript/UiDescriptionsTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6ec8d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/field_ui/tests/src/FunctionalJavascript/UiDescriptionsTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\Tests\field_ui\FunctionalJavascript;
+
+use Drupal\FunctionalJavascriptTests\JavascriptTestBase;
+
+/**
+ * Tests that the field descriptions are correctly shown on the UI.
+ *
+ * @group field_ui
+ */
+class UiDescriptionsTest extends JavascriptTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  protected static $modules = [
+    'field_ui',
+    'node',
+    'media',
+  ];
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  protected function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->drupalCreateUser([
+      'access administration pages',
+      'administer node fields',
+      'view the administration theme',
+    ]));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests the descriptions of some fields.
+   */
+  public function testFieldDescriptions() {
+    $page = $this->getSession()->getPage();
+    $assert_session = $this->assertSession();
+
+    $node_type = $this->drupalCreateContentType();
+
+    $this->drupalGet("admin/structure/types/manage/{$node_type->id()}/fields/add-field");
+
+    // Check that the description wrapper is only visible after you select that
+    // element from the list.
+    $assert_session->optionExists('edit-new-storage-type', 'boolean');
+    $boolean_description_element = $assert_session->elementExists('css', '#edit-description-boolean-0');
+    $this->assertFalse($boolean_description_element->isVisible());
+    $page->selectFieldOption('edit-new-storage-type', 'boolean');
+    $boolean_description_element = $assert_session->elementExists('css', '#edit-description-boolean-0');
+    $this->assertTrue($boolean_description_element->isVisible());
+
+    // Make sure the expected texts from the plugin annotations (or overriden
+    // strings) are present on the page.
+    $manager = \Drupal::service('plugin.manager.field.field_type');
+    $file_description = $manager->getDefinition('file')['description'];
+    $assert_session->pageTextContains($file_description);
+    $image_description = $manager->getDefinition('image')['description'];
+    $assert_session->pageTextContains($image_description);
+    $media_description = 'Use a "Media" field to reference assets such as files, images, videos and more. You will be able to select which media types can be referenced in the next steps.';
+    $assert_session->pageTextContains($media_description);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
index 542be12..df5cc4c 100644
--- a/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/file/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/FileItem.php
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  * @FieldType(
  *   id = "file",
  *   label = @Translation("File"),
- *   description = @Translation("This field stores the ID of a file as an integer value."),
+ *   description = @Translation("Use a 'File' reference when you want to upload an arbitrary file to an entity, generally without re-usability needs. If in doubt, 'Media' references should be preferred instead."),
  *   category = @Translation("Reference"),
  *   default_widget = "file_generic",
  *   default_formatter = "file_default",
diff --git a/core/modules/image/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ImageItem.php b/core/modules/image/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ImageItem.php
index 67a15a7..19499af 100644
--- a/core/modules/image/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ImageItem.php
+++ b/core/modules/image/src/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ImageItem.php
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  * @FieldType(
  *   id = "image",
  *   label = @Translation("Image"),
- *   description = @Translation("This field stores the ID of an image file as an integer value."),
+ *   description = @Translation("Use an 'Image' reference when you want to upload an image to on entity, generally without re-usability needs. If in doubt, 'Media' references should be preferred instead."),
  *   category = @Translation("Reference"),
  *   default_widget = "image_image",
  *   default_formatter = "image",
diff --git a/core/modules/media/media.module b/core/modules/media/media.module
index 5df059c..a83eb35 100644
--- a/core/modules/media/media.module
+++ b/core/modules/media/media.module
@@ -109,9 +109,13 @@ function media_field_ui_preconfigured_options_alter(array &$options, $field_type
     return;
   }
 
-  // Set the default formatter for media in entity reference fields to be the
-  // "Rendered entity" formatter.
   if (!empty($options['media'])) {
+    // Set the default formatter for media in entity reference fields to be the
+    // "Rendered entity" formatter.
     $options['media']['entity_view_display']['type'] = 'entity_reference_entity_view';
+
+    // Override the "entity_reference" field description text with a
+    // media-related one.
+    $options['media']['description'] = t('Use a "Media" field to reference assets such as files, images, videos and more. You will be able to select which media types can be referenced in the next steps.');
   }
 }