diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index f01226e029a..21b7a557725 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ Features added
   Patch by Bénédikt Tran and Adam Turner.
 * #12524: Add a ``class`` option to the :rst:dir:`toctree` directive.
   Patch by Tim Hoffmann.
+* #12536: Add the :rst:dir:`confval` directive.
+  Patch by Adam Turner.
 
 Bugs fixed
 ----------
diff --git a/doc/conf.py b/doc/conf.py
index 3fb4e8ceaf5..65142491fc8 100644
--- a/doc/conf.py
+++ b/doc/conf.py
@@ -328,12 +328,6 @@ def setup(app: Sphinx) -> None:
     app.connect('autodoc-process-docstring', cut_lines(4, what=['module']))
     app.connect('source-read', linkify_issues_in_changelog)
     app.connect('build-finished', build_redirects)
-    app.add_object_type(
-        'confval',
-        'confval',
-        objname='configuration value',
-        indextemplate='pair: %s; configuration value',
-    )
     fdesc = GroupedField('parameter', label='Parameters', names=['param'], can_collapse=True)
     app.add_object_type(
         'event', 'event', 'pair: %s; event', parse_event, doc_field_types=[fdesc]
diff --git a/doc/usage/domains/standard.rst b/doc/usage/domains/standard.rst
index 59b7e72c167..a676a2dcbf5 100644
--- a/doc/usage/domains/standard.rst
+++ b/doc/usage/domains/standard.rst
@@ -42,6 +42,44 @@ There is a set of directives allowing documenting command-line programs:
 
    ``cmdoption`` directive is a deprecated alias for the ``option`` directive.
 
+.. rst:directive:: .. confval:: name
+
+   Describes a configuration value or setting that the documented
+   code or program uses or defines.
+   Referenceable by :rst:role:`confval`.
+
+   .. rst:directive:option:: type
+      :type: text
+
+      Describes the type of the configuration value.
+      This is optional, and if specified will be interpreted as reStructuredText.
+
+   .. rst:directive:option:: default
+      :type: text
+
+      Describes the default value of the configuration value.
+      This is optional, and if specified will be interpreted as reStructuredText.
+
+   Example:
+
+   .. code-block:: rst
+
+      .. confval:: the_answer
+         :type: ``int`` (a *number*)
+         :default: **42**
+
+         This is a setting that controls the value of the answer.
+
+   will be rendered as follows:
+
+   .. confval:: the_answer
+      :no-contents-entry:
+      :no-index-entry:
+      :type: ``int`` (a *number*)
+      :default: **42**
+
+      This is a setting that controls the value of the answer.
+
 .. rst:directive:: .. envvar:: name
 
    Describes an environment variable that the documented code or program uses
diff --git a/doc/usage/referencing.rst b/doc/usage/referencing.rst
index c2ad715be2c..836c1052e95 100644
--- a/doc/usage/referencing.rst
+++ b/doc/usage/referencing.rst
@@ -222,6 +222,13 @@ Cross-referencing other items of interest
 The following roles do possibly create a cross-reference, but do not refer to
 objects:
 
+.. rst:role:: confval
+
+   A configuration value or setting.
+   Index entries are generated.
+   Also generates a link to the matching :rst:dir:`confval` directive,
+   if it exists.
+
 .. rst:role:: envvar
 
    An environment variable.  Index entries are generated.  Also generates a link
diff --git a/sphinx/domains/std/__init__.py b/sphinx/domains/std/__init__.py
index f2cdbc0e81a..008367b566a 100644
--- a/sphinx/domains/std/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/domains/std/__init__.py
@@ -102,6 +102,76 @@ def result_nodes(self, document: nodes.document, env: BuildEnvironment, node: El
         return [indexnode, targetnode, node], []
 
 
+class ConfigurationValue(ObjectDescription[str]):
+    index_template: str = _('%s; configuration value')
+    option_spec: ClassVar[OptionSpec] = {
+        'no-index': directives.flag,
+        'no-index-entry': directives.flag,
+        'no-contents-entry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
+        'type': directives.unchanged_required,
+        'default': directives.unchanged_required,
+    }
+
+    def handle_signature(self, sig: str, sig_node: desc_signature) -> str:
+        sig_node.clear()
+        sig_node += addnodes.desc_name(sig, sig)
+        name = ws_re.sub(' ', sig)
+        sig_node['fullname'] = name
+        return name
+
+    def _object_hierarchy_parts(self, sig_node: desc_signature) -> tuple[str, ...]:
+        return (sig_node['fullname'],)
+
+    def _toc_entry_name(self, sig_node: desc_signature) -> str:
+        if not sig_node.get('_toc_parts'):
+            return ''
+        name, = sig_node['_toc_parts']
+        return name
+
+    def add_target_and_index(self, name: str, sig: str, signode: desc_signature) -> None:
+        node_id = make_id(self.env, self.state.document, self.objtype, name)
+        signode['ids'].append(node_id)
+        self.state.document.note_explicit_target(signode)
+        index_entry = self.index_template % name
+        self.indexnode['entries'].append(('pair', index_entry, node_id, '', None))
+        self.env.domains['std'].note_object(self.objtype, name, node_id, location=signode)
+
+    def transform_content(self, content_node: addnodes.desc_content) -> None:
+        """Insert *type* and *default* as a field list."""
+        field_list = nodes.field_list()
+        if 'type' in self.options:
+            field, msgs = self.format_type(self.options['type'])
+            field_list.append(field)
+            field_list += msgs
+        if 'default' in self.options:
+            field, msgs = self.format_default(self.options['default'])
+            field_list.append(field)
+            field_list += msgs
+        if len(field_list.children) > 0:
+            content_node.insert(0, field_list)
+
+    def format_type(self, type_: str) -> tuple[nodes.field, list[system_message]]:
+        """Formats the ``:type:`` option."""
+        parsed, msgs = self.parse_inline(type_, lineno=self.lineno)
+        field = nodes.field(
+            '',
+            nodes.field_name('', _('Type')),
+            nodes.field_body('', *parsed),
+        )
+        return field, msgs
+
+    def format_default(self, default: str) -> tuple[nodes.field, list[system_message]]:
+        """Formats the ``:default:`` option."""
+        parsed, msgs = self.parse_inline(default, lineno=self.lineno)
+        field = nodes.field(
+            '',
+            nodes.field_name('', _('Default')),
+            nodes.field_body('', *parsed),
+        )
+        return field, msgs
+
+
 class Target(SphinxDirective):
     """
     Generic target for user-defined cross-reference types.
@@ -527,6 +597,7 @@ class StandardDomain(Domain):
         'token': ObjType(_('grammar token'), 'token', searchprio=-1),
         'label': ObjType(_('reference label'), 'ref', 'keyword',
                          searchprio=-1),
+        'confval': ObjType('configuration value', 'confval'),
         'envvar': ObjType(_('environment variable'), 'envvar'),
         'cmdoption': ObjType(_('program option'), 'option'),
         'doc': ObjType(_('document'), 'doc', searchprio=-1),
@@ -536,12 +607,14 @@ class StandardDomain(Domain):
         'program': Program,
         'cmdoption': Cmdoption,  # old name for backwards compatibility
         'option': Cmdoption,
+        'confval': ConfigurationValue,
         'envvar': EnvVar,
         'glossary': Glossary,
         'productionlist': ProductionList,
     }
     roles: dict[str, RoleFunction | XRefRole] = {
         'option':  OptionXRefRole(warn_dangling=True),
+        'confval': XRefRole(warn_dangling=True),
         'envvar':  EnvVarXRefRole(),
         # links to tokens in grammar productions
         'token':   TokenXRefRole(),