diff --git a/sklearn/externals/_packaging/version.py b/sklearn/externals/_packaging/version.py
index ea83bbb8b5389..0f1e5b833699c 100644
--- a/sklearn/externals/_packaging/version.py
+++ b/sklearn/externals/_packaging/version.py
@@ -63,10 +63,18 @@
 
 
 def parse(version: str) -> Union["LegacyVersion", "Version"]:
-    """
-    Parse the given version string and return either a :class:`Version` object
-    or a :class:`LegacyVersion` object depending on if the given version is
-    a valid PEP 440 version or a legacy version.
+    """Parse the given version from a string to an appropriate class.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    version : str
+        Version in a string format, eg. "0.9.1" or "1.2.dev0".
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    version : :class:`Version` object or a :class:`LegacyVersion` object
+        Returned class depends on the given version: if is a valid
+        PEP 440 version or a legacy version.
     """
     try:
         return Version(version)
diff --git a/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py b/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py
index 6118d4827c523..17e5e0c4b19fb 100644
--- a/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py
+++ b/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 numpydoc_validation = pytest.importorskip("numpydoc.validate")
 
 FUNCTION_DOCSTRING_IGNORE_LIST = [
-    "sklearn.externals._packaging.version.parse",
     # sklearn.deprecation._update_doc is updating the doc against the numpydoc.
     # This will be fixed in future PRs.
     "sklearn.inspection._plot.partial_dependence.plot_partial_dependence",