diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 58ea0ce4..9f167565 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -452,6 +452,8 @@ pub enum Format {
     MatchVariant(Expr, Vec<(Pattern, String, Format)>),
     /// Format generated dynamically
     Dynamic(DynFormat),
+    /// Format with human-readable description
+    Described(Box<Format>, String),
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, Debug, Serialize)]
@@ -462,6 +464,13 @@ pub enum DynFormat {
 impl Format {
     pub const EMPTY: Format = Format::Tuple(Vec::new());
 
+    pub fn with_comment<Comment: Into<String>>(self, comment: Comment) -> Format {
+        Format::Described(
+            Box::new(self),
+            comment.into()
+        )
+    }
+
     pub fn alts<Label: Into<String>>(fields: impl IntoIterator<Item = (Label, Format)>) -> Format {
         Format::Union(
             (fields.into_iter())
@@ -651,6 +660,9 @@ impl FormatModule {
                     ("@value".to_string(), ValueType::U16),
                 ];
                 Ok(ValueType::Record(ts))
+            },
+            Format::Described(a, _) => {
+                self.infer_format_type(scope, a)
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1229,6 +1241,7 @@ impl Format {
                 .reduce(Bounds::union)
                 .unwrap(),
             Format::Dynamic(DynFormat::Huffman(_, _)) => Bounds::new(1, None),
+            Format::Described(f, _comment) => f.match_bounds(module),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1263,6 +1276,7 @@ impl Format {
                 branches.iter().any(|(_, _, f)| f.depends_on_next(module))
             }
             Format::Dynamic(_) => false,
+            Format::Described(f, _) => f.depends_on_next(module),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1457,6 +1471,7 @@ impl<'a> MatchTreeLevel<'a> {
             Format::Dynamic(DynFormat::Huffman(_, _)) => {
                 self.accept(index) // FIXME
             }
+            Format::Described(f, _comment) => self.add(module, index, f, next),
         }
     }
 
@@ -2027,6 +2042,7 @@ impl Decoder {
                 Ok(Decoder::MatchVariant(head.clone(), branches))
             }
             Format::Dynamic(d) => Ok(Decoder::Dynamic(d.clone())),
+            Format::Described(a, _comment) => Decoder::compile_next(compiler, a, next),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/output.rs b/src/output.rs
index c12500d5..100133ae 100644
--- a/src/output.rs
+++ b/src/output.rs
@@ -233,3 +233,21 @@ impl Display for Fragment {
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl From<&'static str> for Fragment {
+    fn from(value: &'static str) -> Self {
+        Self::String(Cow::Borrowed(value))
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<String> for Fragment {
+    fn from(value: String) -> Self {
+        Self::String(Cow::Owned(value))
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<char> for Fragment {
+    fn from(value: char) -> Self {
+        Self::Char(value)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/output/flat.rs b/src/output/flat.rs
index f45ac2dd..ef4c119e 100644
--- a/src/output/flat.rs
+++ b/src/output/flat.rs
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ fn check_covered(
             }
         }
         Format::Dynamic(_) => {} // FIXME
+        Format::Described(format, _comment) => {
+            check_covered(module, path, format)?;
+        }
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -269,6 +272,11 @@ impl<'module, W: io::Write> Context<'module, W> {
                 Ok(())
             }
             Format::Dynamic(_) => Ok(()), // FIXME
+            Format::Described(f, comment) => {
+                self.write_flat(value, f)?;
+                write!(&mut self.writer, "/* {comment} */")?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/output/tree.rs b/src/output/tree.rs
index 6d054e00..6ddd89be 100644
--- a/src/output/tree.rs
+++ b/src/output/tree.rs
@@ -160,6 +160,11 @@ impl<'module, W: io::Write> Context<'module, W> {
                 Ok(())
             }
             Format::Dynamic(_) => self.write_value(value),
+            Format::Described(f, comment) => {
+                self.write_decoded_value(value, f)?;
+                write!(&mut self.writer, "/* {comment} */")?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1050,6 +1055,12 @@ impl<'module> MonoidalPrinter<'module> {
                 frag
             }
             Format::Dynamic(_) => self.compile_value(value),
+            Format::Described(f, comment) => {
+                self.compile_decoded_value(value, f)
+                    .cat(Fragment::String("/* ".into()))
+                    .cat(Fragment::String(comment.clone().into()))
+                    .cat(Fragment::String(" */".into()))
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1748,11 +1759,18 @@ impl<'module> MonoidalPrinter<'module> {
                     frags.finalize()
                 }
             }
-            Format::Tuple(formats) if formats.is_empty() => Fragment::String("()".into()),
-            Format::Tuple(_) => Fragment::String("(...)".into()),
+            Format::Tuple(formats) if formats.is_empty() => Fragment::from("()"),
+            Format::Tuple(_) => Fragment::from("(...)"),
 
-            Format::Record(fields) if fields.is_empty() => Fragment::String("{}".into()),
-            Format::Record(_) => Fragment::String("{ ... }".into()),
+            Format::Record(fields) if fields.is_empty() => Fragment::from("{}"),
+            Format::Record(_) => Fragment::from("{ ... }"),
+
+            Format::Described(f, comment) => {
+                self.compile_format(f, prec)
+                    .cat("/* ".into())
+                    .cat(comment.clone().into())
+                    .cat(" */".into())
+            }
         }
     }
 }