diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2797847..7e62b27 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ imgcli [-i INPUT]... [-vf GRAPH] [-q N] [-f FMT] [-y|-n] [--json] OUTPUT
   --json       emit one machine-readable JSON result line (an array in batch)
   --quiet      suppress the human-readable success line
   --dry-run    validate the filtergraph + report output dims; write nothing
-  -filters     list every filter (add --json for a machine-readable list)
+  -filters [NAME]  list every filter, or just NAME's syntax (add --json for a
+               machine-readable list)
   -info        print input dimensions and exit
   -V           print version
   -h           help
diff --git a/man/imgcli.1 b/man/imgcli.1
index 6f7c828..19ecd90 100644
--- a/man/imgcli.1
+++ b/man/imgcli.1
@@ -94,8 +94,10 @@ Suppress the human-readable success line.
 .B \-\-dry\-run
 Validate the filtergraph and report the output dimensions; write nothing.
 .TP
-.B \-filters
-List every filter. Add
+.BI \-filters " [NAME]"
+List every filter, or with
+.I NAME
+just that one filter's syntax (exit status 1 if no filter has that name). Add
 .B \-\-json
 for a machine-readable list.
 .TP
diff --git a/src/filters.c b/src/filters.c
index 1b866b3..af81aad 100644
--- a/src/filters.c
+++ b/src/filters.c
@@ -762,6 +762,30 @@ void filters_print_json(void) {
     printf("]\n");
 }
 
+/* Print one filter's help, looked up by exact name (for `imgcli -filters NAME`).
+ * With json, emits the same [{name,syntax,description}] array shape as
+ * filters_print_json, filtered to the single match. Returns 1 if the filter was
+ * found, 0 otherwise (so the caller can set a non-zero exit code). */
+int filters_print_single(const char *name, int json) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < NFILTERS; i++) {
+        if (strcmp(FILTERS[i].name, name) != 0) continue;
+        if (json) {
+            char syntax[128];
+            const char *desc;
+            split_usage(FILTERS[i].usage, syntax, sizeof syntax, &desc);
+            fputs("[\n  {\"name\":", stdout);      json_str(stdout, FILTERS[i].name);
+            fputs(",\"syntax\":", stdout);         json_str(stdout, syntax);
+            fputs(",\"description\":", stdout);    json_str(stdout, desc);
+            fputs("}\n]\n", stdout);
+        } else {
+            printf("  %s\n", FILTERS[i].usage);
+        }
+        return 1;
+    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "imgcli: no filter named '%s' (try -filters to list them)\n", name);
+    return 0;
+}
+
 /* trim leading/trailing ascii whitespace in place, returns start */
 static char *trim(char *s) {
     while (*s && isspace((unsigned char)*s)) s++;
diff --git a/src/filters.h b/src/filters.h
index 93a2337..0e83de9 100644
--- a/src/filters.h
+++ b/src/filters.h
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ Image *run_filtergraph(const char *graph, Image *base, AppContext *app, char **e
 /* Print the filter catalogue to stdout (for `imgcli -filters`). */
 void filters_print_list(void);
 
+/* Print one filter's help by exact name (`imgcli -filters NAME`), honouring
+ * --json. Returns 1 if found, 0 if no filter has that name. */
+int filters_print_single(const char *name, int json);
+
 /* Print the filter catalogue as a JSON array of {name, syntax, description}
  * to stdout (for `imgcli -filters --json`). */
 void filters_print_json(void);
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2b9d76a..b7fc18f 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static void usage(FILE *f) {
         "  --json       emit a single machine-readable JSON result line (array in batch)\n"
         "  --quiet      suppress the human-readable success line\n"
         "  --dry-run    validate the filtergraph and report output dims; write nothing\n"
-        "  -filters     list available filters and exit\n"
+        "  -filters [NAME]  list filters (or, with NAME, one filter's syntax) and exit\n"
         "  -info        print info about each input and exit\n"
         "  -V, --version  print version and exit\n"
         "  -h, --help   show this help\n"
@@ -205,12 +205,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     int overwrite = -1;        /* -1 ask/refuse, 1 = -y, 0 = -n */
     int want_filters = 0, want_info = 0, json = 0, quiet = 0, dry_run = 0, fail_fast = 0;
     char msg[512];
+    const char *filter_name = NULL;   /* `-filters NAME` -> help for one filter */
 
     for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
         const char *arg = argv[i];
         if (!strcmp(arg, "-h") || !strcmp(arg, "--help")) { usage(stdout); return 0; }
         else if (!strcmp(arg, "-V") || !strcmp(arg, "--version")) { printf("imgcli %s\n", IMGCLI_VERSION); return 0; }
-        else if (!strcmp(arg, "-filters")) want_filters = 1;
+        else if (!strcmp(arg, "-filters")) {
+            want_filters = 1;
+            /* an optional non-flag token names a single filter to describe */
+            if (i + 1 < argc && argv[i + 1][0] != '-') filter_name = argv[++i];
+        }
         else if (!strcmp(arg, "-info")) want_info = 1;
         else if (!strcmp(arg, "--json")) json = 1;
         else if (!strcmp(arg, "--quiet")) quiet = 1;
@@ -254,7 +259,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         }
     }
 
-    if (want_filters) { if (json) filters_print_json(); else filters_print_list(); return 0; }
+    if (want_filters) {
+        if (filter_name) return filters_print_single(filter_name, json) ? 0 : 1;
+        if (json) filters_print_json();
+        else filters_print_list();
+        return 0;
+    }
 
     if (ninputs == 0) { emit_error(json, "no input (use -i); try -h for help"); return 2; }