diff --git a/changelog/5023.feature.rst b/changelog/5023.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a4c67fe6856
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/5023.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+``--strict`` is now called ``--strict-markers`` as it is more explicit about what it does. The old name still works for backward compatibility.
diff --git a/doc/en/example/markers.rst b/doc/en/example/markers.rst
index 6275bbae068..aa9eb22e2a3 100644
--- a/doc/en/example/markers.rst
+++ b/doc/en/example/markers.rst
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ For an example on how to add and work with markers from a plugin, see
     * Asking for existing markers via ``pytest --markers`` gives good output
 
     * Typos in function markers are treated as an error if you use
-      the ``--strict`` option.
+      the ``--strict-markers`` option.
 
 .. _`scoped-marking`:
 
diff --git a/doc/en/mark.rst b/doc/en/mark.rst
index ad9aaca4b9a..b9f73a93aea 100644
--- a/doc/en/mark.rst
+++ b/doc/en/mark.rst
@@ -41,15 +41,15 @@ marks by registering them in ``pytest.ini`` like this:
         slow
         serial
 
-When the ``--strict`` command-line flag is passed, any unknown marks applied
+When the ``--strict-markers`` command-line flag is passed, any unknown marks applied
 with the ``@pytest.mark.name_of_the_mark`` decorator will trigger an error.
 Marks added by pytest or by a plugin instead of the decorator will not trigger
-this error.  To enforce validation of markers, add ``--strict`` to ``addopts``:
+this error.  To enforce validation of markers, add ``--strict-markers`` to ``addopts``:
 
 .. code-block:: ini
 
     [pytest]
-    addopts = --strict
+    addopts = --strict-markers
     markers =
         slow
         serial
diff --git a/doc/en/reference.rst b/doc/en/reference.rst
index 12e0d09a8be..6f790a650b5 100644
--- a/doc/en/reference.rst
+++ b/doc/en/reference.rst
@@ -1261,19 +1261,24 @@ passed multiple times. The expected format is ``name=value``. For example::
 
 .. confval:: markers
 
-    When the ``--strict`` command-line argument is used, only known markers -
+    When the ``--strict-markers`` command-line argument is used, only known markers -
     defined in code by core pytest or some plugin - are allowed.
-    You can list additional markers in this setting to add them to the whitelist.
 
-    You can list one marker name per line, indented from the option name.
+    You can list additional markers in this setting to add them to the whitelist,
+    in which case you probably want to add ``--strict-markers`` to ``addopts``
+    to avoid future regressions:
 
     .. code-block:: ini
 
         [pytest]
+        addopts = --strict-markers
         markers =
             slow
             serial
 
+    **Note**: This option was previously called ``--strict``, which is now an
+    alias preserved for backward compatibility.
+
 .. confval:: minversion
 
    Specifies a minimal pytest version required for running tests.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/main.py b/src/_pytest/main.py
index 64e7110b4a2..a2041007de7 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/main.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/main.py
@@ -47,11 +47,6 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
         type="args",
         default=[],
     )
-    # parser.addini("dirpatterns",
-    #    "patterns specifying possible locations of test files",
-    #    type="linelist", default=["**/test_*.txt",
-    #            "**/test_*.py", "**/*_test.py"]
-    # )
     group = parser.getgroup("general", "running and selection options")
     group._addoption(
         "-x",
@@ -71,9 +66,10 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
         help="exit after first num failures or errors.",
     )
     group._addoption(
+        "--strict-markers",
         "--strict",
         action="store_true",
-        help="marks not registered in configuration file raise errors.",
+        help="markers not registered in the `markers` section of the configuration file raise errors.",
     )
     group._addoption(
         "-c",
diff --git a/src/_pytest/mark/structures.py b/src/_pytest/mark/structures.py
index 4cae97b7135..2f683fa08dd 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/mark/structures.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/mark/structures.py
@@ -311,8 +311,11 @@ def __getattr__(self, name):
             # If the name is not in the set of known marks after updating,
             # then it really is time to issue a warning or an error.
             if name not in self._markers:
-                if self._config.option.strict:
-                    fail("{!r} is not a registered marker".format(name), pytrace=False)
+                if self._config.option.strict_markers:
+                    fail(
+                        "{!r} not found in `markers` configuration option".format(name),
+                        pytrace=False,
+                    )
                 else:
                     warnings.warn(
                         "Unknown pytest.mark.%s - is this a typo?  You can register "
diff --git a/testing/test_mark.py b/testing/test_mark.py
index 72b96ab518c..294a1ee6bc8 100644
--- a/testing/test_mark.py
+++ b/testing/test_mark.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def test_markers():
             assert True
     """
     )
-    rec = testdir.inline_run("--strict", "-m", "a1")
+    rec = testdir.inline_run("--strict-markers", "-m", "a1")
     rec.assertoutcome(passed=1)
 
 
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def test_marker_without_description(testdir):
     )
     ftdir = testdir.mkdir("ft1_dummy")
     testdir.tmpdir.join("conftest.py").move(ftdir.join("conftest.py"))
-    rec = testdir.runpytest("--strict")
+    rec = testdir.runpytest("--strict-markers")
     rec.assert_outcomes()
 
 
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ def test_hello():
     reprec.assertoutcome(passed=1)
 
 
-def test_strict_prohibits_unregistered_markers(testdir):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("option_name", ["--strict-markers", "--strict"])
+def test_strict_prohibits_unregistered_markers(testdir, option_name):
     testdir.makepyfile(
         """
         import pytest
@@ -203,9 +204,11 @@ def test_hello():
             pass
     """
     )
-    result = testdir.runpytest("--strict")
+    result = testdir.runpytest(option_name)
     assert result.ret != 0
-    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["'unregisteredmark' is not a registered marker"])
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(
+        ["'unregisteredmark' not found in `markers` configuration option"]
+    )
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/testing/test_stepwise.py b/testing/test_stepwise.py
index b8583992577..2202bbf1b60 100644
--- a/testing/test_stepwise.py
+++ b/testing/test_stepwise.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def broken_testdir(testdir):
 
 
 def test_run_without_stepwise(stepwise_testdir):
-    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict", "--fail")
+    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict-markers", "--fail")
 
     result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["*test_success_before_fail PASSED*"])
     result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["*test_fail_on_flag FAILED*"])
@@ -85,7 +85,9 @@ def test_run_without_stepwise(stepwise_testdir):
 
 def test_fail_and_continue_with_stepwise(stepwise_testdir):
     # Run the tests with a failing second test.
-    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict", "--stepwise", "--fail")
+    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest(
+        "-v", "--strict-markers", "--stepwise", "--fail"
+    )
     assert not result.stderr.str()
 
     stdout = result.stdout.str()
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ def test_fail_and_continue_with_stepwise(stepwise_testdir):
     assert "test_success_after_fail" not in stdout
 
     # "Fix" the test that failed in the last run and run it again.
-    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict", "--stepwise")
+    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict-markers", "--stepwise")
     assert not result.stderr.str()
 
     stdout = result.stdout.str()
@@ -107,7 +109,12 @@ def test_fail_and_continue_with_stepwise(stepwise_testdir):
 
 def test_run_with_skip_option(stepwise_testdir):
     result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest(
-        "-v", "--strict", "--stepwise", "--stepwise-skip", "--fail", "--fail-last"
+        "-v",
+        "--strict-markers",
+        "--stepwise",
+        "--stepwise-skip",
+        "--fail",
+        "--fail-last",
     )
     assert not result.stderr.str()
 
@@ -120,7 +127,7 @@ def test_run_with_skip_option(stepwise_testdir):
 
 
 def test_fail_on_errors(error_testdir):
-    result = error_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict", "--stepwise")
+    result = error_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict-markers", "--stepwise")
 
     assert not result.stderr.str()
     stdout = result.stdout.str()
@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ def test_fail_on_errors(error_testdir):
 
 def test_change_testfile(stepwise_testdir):
     result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest(
-        "-v", "--strict", "--stepwise", "--fail", "test_a.py"
+        "-v", "--strict-markers", "--stepwise", "--fail", "test_a.py"
     )
     assert not result.stderr.str()
 
@@ -140,7 +147,9 @@ def test_change_testfile(stepwise_testdir):
 
     # Make sure the second test run starts from the beginning, since the
     # test to continue from does not exist in testfile_b.
-    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest("-v", "--strict", "--stepwise", "test_b.py")
+    result = stepwise_testdir.runpytest(
+        "-v", "--strict-markers", "--stepwise", "test_b.py"
+    )
     assert not result.stderr.str()
 
     stdout = result.stdout.str()
@@ -149,7 +158,11 @@ def test_change_testfile(stepwise_testdir):
 
 def test_stop_on_collection_errors(broken_testdir):
     result = broken_testdir.runpytest(
-        "-v", "--strict", "--stepwise", "working_testfile.py", "broken_testfile.py"
+        "-v",
+        "--strict-markers",
+        "--stepwise",
+        "working_testfile.py",
+        "broken_testfile.py",
     )
 
     stdout = result.stdout.str()
diff --git a/testing/test_warnings.py b/testing/test_warnings.py
index 929ae8d607f..ce5fca98a1f 100644
--- a/testing/test_warnings.py
+++ b/testing/test_warnings.py
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ def test_func():
             pass
     """
     )
-    result = testdir.runpytest("--strict")
+    result = testdir.runpytest("--strict-markers")
     assert result.ret == 0