diff --git a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
index ee1187d4..6292b64e 100644
--- a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
+++ b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@
 
 IMPORT_MATPLOTLIB_RE = r"\b(import +matplotlib|from +matplotlib +import)\b"
 
+# Used to help identify the first sentence of an object's description. These
+# values are based on sphinx.ext.autosummary.
+WELL_KNOWN_ABBREVIATIONS = ("et al.", "e.g.", "i.e.", "vs.")
+
 
 class SphinxDocString(NumpyDocString):
     def __init__(self, docstring, config=None):
@@ -159,16 +163,22 @@ def _process_param(self, param, desc, fake_autosummary):
         # Referenced object has a docstring
         display_param = f":obj:`{param} <{link_prefix}{param}>`"
         if obj_doc:
-            # Overwrite desc. Take summary logic of autosummary
-            desc = re.split(r"\n\s*\n", obj_doc.strip(), maxsplit=1)[0]
-            # XXX: Should this have DOTALL?
-            #      It does not in autosummary
-            m = re.search(r"^([A-Z].*?\.)(?:\s|$)", " ".join(desc.split()))
-            if m:
-                desc = m.group(1).strip()
+            # Overwrite desc with the first sentence. Based on
+            # sphinx.ext.autosummary's `extract_summary()`.
+            stanza = re.split(r"\n\s*\n", obj_doc.strip(), maxsplit=1)[0]
+            sentences = re.split(r"\.(?:\s+|$)", " ".join(stanza.split()))
+            if len(sentences) == 1:
+                # If there are no periods, use only the first line. This
+                # differs from autosummary, which takes the whole stanza.
+                desc = stanza.partition("\n")[0]
             else:
-                desc = desc.partition("\n")[0]
-            desc = desc.split("\n")
+                desc = ""
+                for i in range(len(sentences)):
+                    desc = ". ".join(sentences[: i + 1]).rstrip(".") + "."
+                    if not desc.endswith(WELL_KNOWN_ABBREVIATIONS):
+                        break
+            desc = [desc]
+
         return display_param, desc
 
     def _str_param_list(self, name, fake_autosummary=False):
diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
index acf5194c..715e8717 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
@@ -1198,6 +1198,7 @@ def test_duplicate_signature():
         But a description
     no_docstring2 : str
     multiline_sentence
+    multiline_single_sentence
     midword_period
     no_period
 
@@ -1253,6 +1254,7 @@ def test_class_members_doc():
         But a description
     no_docstring2 : str
     multiline_sentence
+    multiline_single_sentence
     midword_period
     no_period
 
@@ -1300,6 +1302,12 @@ def multiline_sentence(self):
             sentence. It spans multiple lines."""
             return
 
+        @property
+        def multiline_single_sentence(self):
+            """This is a
+            sentence."""
+            return
+
         @property
         def midword_period(self):
             """The sentence for numpy.org."""
@@ -1351,6 +1359,9 @@ def no_period(self):
         :obj:`multiline_sentence <multiline_sentence>`
             This is a sentence.
 
+        :obj:`multiline_single_sentence <multiline_single_sentence>`
+            This is a sentence.
+
         :obj:`midword_period <midword_period>`
             The sentence for numpy.org.
 
@@ -1419,6 +1430,53 @@ def an_attribute(self):
     assert "Another description" not in str(SphinxClassDoc(Foo, config=cfg))
 
 
+def test_class_properties_with_abbreviations():
+    class Foo:
+        """
+        Class docstring.
+
+        Attributes
+        ----------
+        using_ie
+        using_ie_in_parens
+        using_others
+        """
+
+        @property
+        def using_ie(self):
+            """
+            Test property, i.e. a method that works like an attribute. More.
+            """
+            return
+
+        @property
+        def using_ie_in_parens(self):
+            """
+            Test property (i.e. a method that works like an attribute). More.
+            """
+            return
+
+        @property
+        def using_others(self):
+            """
+            Test others et al. and e.g. and vs. are ok. More.
+            """
+            return
+
+    attr_doc = """:Attributes:
+
+    :obj:`using_ie <using_ie>`
+        Test property, i.e. a method that works like an attribute.
+
+    :obj:`using_ie_in_parens <using_ie_in_parens>`
+        Test property (i.e. a method that works like an attribute).
+
+    :obj:`using_others <using_others>`
+        Test others et al. and e.g. and vs. are ok."""
+
+    assert attr_doc in str(SphinxClassDoc(Foo))
+
+
 def test_templated_sections():
     doc = SphinxClassDoc(
         None,