diff --git a/api_docs/construct-narrow.md b/api_docs/construct-narrow.md
index 5e7c440afb..60a138258c 100644
--- a/api_docs/construct-narrow.md
+++ b/api_docs/construct-narrow.md
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ help center because they are primarily useful to API clients:
 
 The operands for these search options must be encoded either as an
 integer ID or a JSON list of integer IDs. For example, to query
-messages sent by a user 1234 to a PM thread with yourself, user 1234,
-and user 5678, the correct JSON-encoded query is:
+messages sent by a user 1234 to a direct message thread with yourself,
+user 1234, and user 5678, the correct JSON-encoded query is:
 
 ```json
 [
diff --git a/api_docs/deploying-bots.md b/api_docs/deploying-bots.md
index 70c7bb1fee..31185f9a7b 100644
--- a/api_docs/deploying-bots.md
+++ b/api_docs/deploying-bots.md
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ Zulip Botserver starts a web server that listens to incoming messages
 from your main Zulip server. The sequence of events in a successful
 Botserver interaction are:
 
-1. Your bot user is mentioned or receives a private message:
+1. Your bot user is mentioned or receives a direct message:
 
     ```
     @**My Bot User** hello world
diff --git a/api_docs/incoming-webhooks-walkthrough.md b/api_docs/incoming-webhooks-walkthrough.md
index 376d299f25..dcdec7103d 100644
--- a/api_docs/incoming-webhooks-walkthrough.md
+++ b/api_docs/incoming-webhooks-walkthrough.md
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ validate the message and do the following:
 
 * Send a public (stream) message if the `stream` query parameter is
   specified in the webhook URL.
-* If the `stream` query parameter isn't specified, it will send a private
+* If the `stream` query parameter isn't specified, it will send a direct
   message to the owner of the webhook bot.
 
 Finally, we return a 200 http status with a JSON format success message via
@@ -627,8 +627,8 @@ payloads, the absence of such a header usually indicates a configuration
 issue, where one either entered the URL for a different integration, or happens to
 be running an older version of the integration that doesn't set that header.
 
-If the requisite header is missing, this function sends a PM to the owner of the
-webhook bot, notifying them of the missing header.
+If the requisite header is missing, this function sends a direct message to the
+owner of the webhook bot, notifying them of the missing header.
 
 ### Handling unexpected webhook event types
 
diff --git a/api_docs/outgoing-webhooks.md b/api_docs/outgoing-webhooks.md
index a35ed40600..d802057fbc 100644
--- a/api_docs/outgoing-webhooks.md
+++ b/api_docs/outgoing-webhooks.md
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ There are currently two ways to trigger an outgoing webhook:
 
 1.  **@-mention** the bot user in a stream.  If the bot replies, its
     reply will be sent to that stream and topic.
-2.  **Send a private message** with the bot as one of the recipients.
+2.  **Send a direct message** with the bot as one of the recipients.
     If the bot replies, its reply will be sent to that thread.
 
 ## Timeouts
diff --git a/api_docs/writing-bots.md b/api_docs/writing-bots.md
index a4a46926b0..2667928a90 100644
--- a/api_docs/writing-bots.md
+++ b/api_docs/writing-bots.md
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ With this API, you *cannot*
 
 * modify an intercepted message (you have to send a new message).
 * send messages on behalf of or impersonate other users.
-* intercept private messages (except for PMs with the bot as an
+* intercept direct messages (except for direct messages with the bot as an
 explicit recipient).
 
 ### usage