diff --git a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/rigidBody/rigidBody.C b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/rigidBody/rigidBody.C
index 123f2794a4..ef744a5a0a 100644
--- a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/rigidBody/rigidBody.C
+++ b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/rigidBody/rigidBody.C
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void Foam::RBD::rigidBody::merge(const subBody& subBody)
     *this = rigidBody
     (
         name(),
-        *this + transform(subBody.parentXT(), subBody.body())
+        *this + transform(subBody.masterXT(), subBody.body())
     );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.C b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.C
index b839538627..96924506be 100644
--- a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.C
+++ b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.C
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ License
 
 void Foam::RBD::subBody::write(Ostream& os) const
 {
-    os.writeKeyword("parent")
-        << parentName_ << token::END_STATEMENT << nl;
+    os.writeKeyword("master")
+        << masterName_ << token::END_STATEMENT << nl;
 
     os.writeKeyword("transform")
-        << parentXT_ << token::END_STATEMENT << nl;
+        << masterXT_ << token::END_STATEMENT << nl;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.H b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.H
index f030d32ab7..0cd3f7c930 100644
--- a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.H
+++ b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBody.H
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Class
 
 Description
     This specialized rigidBody holds the original body after it has been merged
-    into a parent.
+    into a master.
 
 SourceFiles
     subBodyI.H
@@ -57,14 +57,14 @@ class subBody
         //- Original body from which this sub-body was constructed
         autoPtr<rigidBody> body_;
 
-        //- Parent body name
-        word parentName_;
+        //- Master body name
+        word masterName_;
 
-        //- Parent body ID
-        label parentID_;
+        //- Master body ID
+        label masterID_;
 
-        //- Transform with respect to parent body
-        spatialTransform parentXT_;
+        //- Transform with respect to master body
+        spatialTransform masterXT_;
 
 
 public:
@@ -72,14 +72,14 @@ public:
     // Constructors
 
         //- Construct a merged version of the given rigidBody
-        //  providing the ID of the parent body to which this will be merged
-        //  and the transform relative to the parent
+        //  providing the ID of the master body to which this will be merged
+        //  and the transform relative to the master
         inline subBody
         (
             const autoPtr<rigidBody>& bodyPtr,
-            const word& parentName,
-            const label parentID,
-            const spatialTransform& parentXT
+            const word& masterName,
+            const label masterID,
+            const spatialTransform& masterXT
         );
 
         //- Return clone of this subBody
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ public:
         //- Return the body name
         inline const word& name() const;
 
-        //- Return the parent body name
-        inline const word& parentName() const;
+        //- Return the master body name
+        inline const word& masterName() const;
 
-        //- Return the parent body Id
-        inline label parentID() const;
+        //- Return the master body Id
+        inline label masterID() const;
 
-        //- Return the transform with respect to the parent body
-        inline const spatialTransform& parentXT() const;
+        //- Return the transform with respect to the master body
+        inline const spatialTransform& masterXT() const;
 
         //- Write
         void write(Ostream&) const;
diff --git a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBodyI.H b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBodyI.H
index 79104889ee..767ffc9612 100644
--- a/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBodyI.H
+++ b/src/rigidBodyDynamics/bodies/subBody/subBodyI.H
@@ -28,15 +28,15 @@ License
 inline Foam::RBD::subBody::subBody
 (
     const autoPtr<rigidBody>& bodyPtr,
-    const word& parentName,
-    const label parentID,
-    const spatialTransform& parentXT
+    const word& masterName,
+    const label masterID,
+    const spatialTransform& masterXT
 )
 :
     body_(bodyPtr),
-    parentName_(parentName),
-    parentID_(parentID),
-    parentXT_(parentXT)
+    masterName_(masterName),
+    masterID_(masterID),
+    masterXT_(masterXT)
 {}
 
 
@@ -60,21 +60,21 @@ inline const Foam::word& Foam::RBD::subBody::name() const
 }
 
 
-inline const Foam::word& Foam::RBD::subBody::parentName() const
+inline const Foam::word& Foam::RBD::subBody::masterName() const
 {
-    return parentName_;
+    return masterName_;
 }
 
 
-inline Foam::label Foam::RBD::subBody::parentID() const
+inline Foam::label Foam::RBD::subBody::masterID() const
 {
-    return parentID_;
+    return masterID_;
 }
 
 
-inline const Foam::spatialTransform& Foam::RBD::subBody::parentXT() const
+inline const Foam::spatialTransform& Foam::RBD::subBody::masterXT() const
 {
-    return parentXT_;
+    return masterXT_;
 }