diff --git a/base/float.jl b/base/float.jl
index d5bfd044cf3b0..f3ddc55275d66 100644
--- a/base/float.jl
+++ b/base/float.jl
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ function ieee754_representation(
 end
 
 """
-    uabs(x::Integer)
+    Base.uabs(x::Integer)
 
 Return the absolute value of `x`, possibly returning a different type should the
 operation be susceptible to overflow. This typically arises when `x` is a two's complement
diff --git a/base/public.jl b/base/public.jl
index bc3d76e86eadc..e944e8f3915d6 100644
--- a/base/public.jl
+++ b/base/public.jl
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ public
     isoperator,
     isunaryoperator,
 
+# scalar math
+    uabs,
+
 # C interface
     cconvert,
     unsafe_convert,
diff --git a/doc/src/base/math.md b/doc/src/base/math.md
index 4f816ce2a6c1d..d7415057e8b05 100644
--- a/doc/src/base/math.md
+++ b/doc/src/base/math.md
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ Base.invmod
 Base.powermod
 Base.ndigits
 Base.add_sum
+Base.uabs
 Base.widemul
 Base.Math.evalpoly
 Base.Math.@evalpoly