diff --git a/cv_bridge/src/cv_bridge.cpp b/cv_bridge/src/cv_bridge.cpp
index 1c6a685d4..a8570b09a 100644
--- a/cv_bridge/src/cv_bridge.cpp
+++ b/cv_bridge/src/cv_bridge.cpp
@@ -134,16 +134,16 @@ Encoding getEncoding(const std::string& encoding)
   return INVALID;
 }
 
-static const int SAME_FORMAT = -1;
+static const int SAME_ENCODING = -1;
 
-/** Return a lit of OpenCV conversion codes to get from one Format to the other
- * The key is a pair: <FromFormat, ToFormat> and the value a succession of OpenCV code conversion
+/** Return a lit of OpenCV conversion codes to get from one encoding to the other
+ * The key is a pair: <FromEncoding, ToEncoding> and the value a succession of OpenCV code conversion
  * It's not efficient code but it is only called once and the structure is small enough
  */
 std::map<std::pair<Encoding, Encoding>, std::vector<int> > getConversionCodes() {
   std::map<std::pair<Encoding, Encoding>, std::vector<int> > res;
   for(int i=0; i<=5; ++i)
-    res[std::pair<Encoding, Encoding>(Encoding(i),Encoding(i))].push_back(SAME_FORMAT);
+    res[std::pair<Encoding, Encoding>(Encoding(i),Encoding(i))].push_back(SAME_ENCODING);
 
   res[std::make_pair(GRAY, RGB)].push_back(cv::COLOR_GRAY2RGB);
   res[std::make_pair(GRAY, BGR)].push_back(cv::COLOR_GRAY2BGR);
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ const std::vector<int> getConversionCode(std::string src_encoding, std::string d
                       "] is. The conversion does not make sense");
     if (!is_num_channels_the_same)
       throw Exception("[" + src_encoding + "] and [" + dst_encoding + "] do not have the same number of channel");
-    return std::vector<int>(1, SAME_FORMAT);
+    return std::vector<int>(1, SAME_ENCODING);
   }
 
   // If we are converting from a color type to a non color type, we can only do so if we stick
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ const std::vector<int> getConversionCode(std::string src_encoding, std::string d
     if (!is_num_channels_the_same)
       throw Exception("[" + src_encoding + "] is a color encoding but [" + dst_encoding + "] " +
                       "is not so they must have the same OpenCV type, CV_8UC3, CV16UC1 ....");
-    return std::vector<int>(1, SAME_FORMAT);
+    return std::vector<int>(1, SAME_ENCODING);
   }
 
   // If we are converting from a color type to another type, then everything is fine
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ const std::vector<int> getConversionCode(std::string src_encoding, std::string d
   // And deal with depth differences if the colors are different
   std::vector<int> res = val->second;
   if ((enc::bitDepth(src_encoding) != enc::bitDepth(dst_encoding)) && (getEncoding(src_encoding) != getEncoding(dst_encoding)))
-    res.push_back(SAME_FORMAT);
+    res.push_back(SAME_ENCODING);
 
   return res;
 }
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ CvImagePtr toCvCopyImpl(const cv::Mat& source,
     cv::Mat image2;
     for(size_t i=0; i<conversion_codes.size(); ++i) {
       int conversion_code = conversion_codes[i];
-      if (conversion_code == SAME_FORMAT)
+      if (conversion_code == SAME_ENCODING)
       {
         // Same number of channels, but different bit depth
         int src_depth = enc::bitDepth(src_encoding);
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ CvImageConstPtr cvtColorForDisplay(const CvImageConstPtr& source,
   {
     try
     {
-      // Let's decide upon an output format
+      // Let's decide upon an output encoding
       if (enc::numChannels(source->encoding) == 1)
       {
         if ((source->encoding == enc::TYPE_32SC1) ||
@@ -661,13 +661,13 @@ CvImageConstPtr cvtColorForDisplay(const CvImageConstPtr& source,
     return cvtColor(img_scaled, encoding);
   }
 
-  // If no color conversion is possible, we must "guess" the input format
+  // If no color conversion is possible, we must "guess" the input encoding
   CvImagePtr source_typed(new CvImage());
   source_typed->image = source->image;
   source_typed->header = source->header;
   source_typed->encoding = source->encoding;
 
-  // If we get the OpenCV format, if we have 1,3 or 4 channels, we are most likely in mono, BGR or BGRA modes
+  // If we get the OpenCV encoding, if we have 1,3 or 4 channels, we are most likely in mono, BGR or BGRA modes
   if (source->encoding == "CV_8UC1")
     source_typed->encoding = enc::MONO8;
   else if (source->encoding == "16UC1")
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ CvImageConstPtr cvtColorForDisplay(const CvImageConstPtr& source,
 
   try
   {
-    // Now that the output is a proper color format, try to see if any conversion is possible
+    // Now that the output is a proper color encoding, try to see if any conversion is possible
     return cvtColor(source_typed, encoding);
   }
   catch (cv_bridge::Exception& e)