diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4a86c230a0d..249020b02dd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 ### Added
 
 - Add the new `go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrgen` package to provide auto-generated source code instrumentation. (#3068, #3108)
+- Set the description for the `rpc.server.duration` metric in `go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/google.golang.org/grpc/otelgrpc`. (#4302)
 
 ## [1.19.0/0.44.0/0.13.0] - 2023-09-12
 
diff --git a/instrumentation/google.golang.org/grpc/otelgrpc/config.go b/instrumentation/google.golang.org/grpc/otelgrpc/config.go
index 149b7034bad..d9b91a24b17 100644
--- a/instrumentation/google.golang.org/grpc/otelgrpc/config.go
+++ b/instrumentation/google.golang.org/grpc/otelgrpc/config.go
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ func newConfig(opts []Option) *config {
 		metric.WithSchemaURL(semconv.SchemaURL),
 	)
 	var err error
-	if c.rpcServerDuration, err = c.meter.Int64Histogram("rpc.server.duration", metric.WithUnit("ms")); err != nil {
+	c.rpcServerDuration, err = c.meter.Int64Histogram("rpc.server.duration",
+		metric.WithDescription("Measures the duration of inbound RPC."),
+		metric.WithUnit("ms"))
+	if err != nil {
 		otel.Handle(err)
 	}