Index: gtk/gtkentry.c
===================================================================
--- gtk/gtkentry.c	(revision 22070)
+++ gtk/gtkentry.c	(working copy)
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@
   gint icon_margin;
   gint start_x;
   gint start_y;
+
+  gchar *placeholder_text;
+  PangoLayout *placeholder_layout;
 };
 
 typedef struct _GtkEntryPasswordHint GtkEntryPasswordHint;
@@ -213,7 +216,8 @@
   PROP_ACTIVATABLE_PRIMARY,
   PROP_ACTIVATABLE_SECONDARY,
   PROP_SENSITIVE_PRIMARY,
-  PROP_SENSITIVE_SECONDARY
+  PROP_SENSITIVE_SECONDARY,
+  PROP_PLACEHOLDER_TEXT
 };
 
 static guint signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
@@ -1082,6 +1086,21 @@
                                                          P_("Whether the secondary icon is sensitive"),
                                                          TRUE,
                                                          GTK_PARAM_READWRITE));
+  /**
+   * GtkEntry:placeholder-text:
+   *
+   * Text to be displayed in the #GtkEntry when it is empty.
+   *
+   * Since: 2.16
+   */
+  g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class,
+                                   PROP_PLACEHOLDER_TEXT,
+                                   g_param_spec_string ("placeholder-text",
+                                                        P_("Placeholder text"),
+                                                        P_("Text to be displayed when the entry is empty"),
+                                                        "",
+                                                        G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+
   
   /**
    * GtkEntry:prelight:
@@ -1783,6 +1802,10 @@
                                     g_value_get_boolean (value));
       break;
 
+    case PROP_PLACEHOLDER_TEXT:
+      gtk_entry_set_placeholder_text (entry, g_value_get_string (value));
+      break;
+
     case PROP_SCROLL_OFFSET:
     case PROP_CURSOR_POSITION:
     default:
@@ -1870,6 +1893,10 @@
       g_value_set_uint (value, entry->text_length);
       break;
 
+    case PROP_PLACEHOLDER_TEXT:
+      g_value_set_string (value, gtk_entry_get_placeholder_text (entry));
+      break;
+
     case PROP_INVISIBLE_CHAR_SET:
       g_value_set_boolean (value, priv->invisible_char_set);
       break;
@@ -2038,6 +2065,8 @@
   priv->caps_lock_warning_shown = FALSE;
   priv->progress_fraction = 0.0;
   priv->progress_pulse_fraction = 0.1;
+  priv->placeholder_text = NULL;
+  priv->placeholder_layout = NULL;
 
   gtk_drag_dest_set (GTK_WIDGET (entry),
                      GTK_DEST_DEFAULT_HIGHLIGHT,
@@ -4961,6 +4990,20 @@
 }
 
 static PangoLayout *
+gtk_entry_create_placeholder_layout (GtkEntry *entry)
+{
+  PangoLayout *layout;
+  GtkEntryPrivate *priv;
+
+  priv = GTK_ENTRY_GET_PRIVATE (entry);
+
+  layout = gtk_widget_create_pango_layout (GTK_WIDGET (entry),
+                                           priv->placeholder_text);
+
+  return layout;
+}
+
+static PangoLayout *
 gtk_entry_create_layout (GtkEntry *entry,
 			 gboolean  include_preedit)
 {
@@ -5195,25 +5238,43 @@
 gtk_entry_draw_text (GtkEntry *entry)
 {
   GtkWidget *widget;
-  
-  if (!entry->visible && entry->invisible_char == 0)
+  gboolean draw_placeholder;
+  GtkEntryPrivate *priv;
+
+  priv = GTK_ENTRY_GET_PRIVATE (entry);
+
+  draw_placeholder = !GTK_WIDGET_HAS_FOCUS (entry) &&
+    (strcmp (entry->text, "") == 0) &&
+    priv->placeholder_text;
+
+  if (!entry->visible && entry->invisible_char == 0 && !draw_placeholder)
     return;
   
   if (GTK_WIDGET_DRAWABLE (entry))
     {
-      PangoLayout *layout = gtk_entry_ensure_layout (entry, TRUE);
+      PangoLayout *layout;
       cairo_t *cr;
       gint x, y;
       gint start_pos, end_pos;
       
       widget = GTK_WIDGET (entry);
       
+      if (draw_placeholder)
+        {
+          layout = priv->placeholder_layout;
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          layout = gtk_entry_ensure_layout (entry, TRUE);
+        }
+
       get_layout_position (entry, &x, &y);
-
       cr = gdk_cairo_create (entry->text_area);
 
       cairo_move_to (cr, x, y);
-      gdk_cairo_set_source_color (cr, &widget->style->text [widget->state]);
+      gdk_cairo_set_source_color (cr, draw_placeholder == TRUE ?
+                                  &widget->style->text_aa [widget->state] :
+                                  &widget->style->text [widget->state]);
       pango_cairo_show_layout (cr, layout);
 
       if (gtk_editable_get_selection_bounds (GTK_EDITABLE (entry), &start_pos, &end_pos))
@@ -7005,6 +7066,75 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * gtk_entry_set_placeholder_text:
+ * @entry: a #GtkEntry
+ * @placeholder_text: a string to be displayed when @entry is empty
+ * and unfocused or %NULL to remove current placeholder text.
+ *
+ * Sets a text string to be displayed when @entry is empty and unfocused.
+ * This can be provided to give a visual hint of the expected contents
+ * of the #GtkEntry.
+ *
+ * Since: 2.16
+ **/
+void
+gtk_entry_set_placeholder_text (GtkEntry *entry,
+                                const gchar *placeholder_text)
+{
+  GtkEntryPrivate *priv;
+
+  g_return_if_fail (GTK_IS_ENTRY (entry));
+
+  priv = GTK_ENTRY_GET_PRIVATE (entry);
+
+  if (priv->placeholder_text)
+    {
+      g_free (priv->placeholder_text);
+      g_object_unref (priv->placeholder_layout);
+    }
+
+  if (placeholder_text)
+    {
+      priv->placeholder_text = g_strdup (placeholder_text);
+      priv->placeholder_layout = gtk_entry_create_placeholder_layout (entry);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      priv->placeholder_text = NULL;
+      priv->placeholder_layout = NULL;
+    }
+
+  if (strlen (entry->text) == 0 && !GTK_WIDGET_HAS_FOCUS (entry))
+    {
+      gtk_widget_queue_draw (GTK_WIDGET (entry));
+    }
+
+  g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (entry), "placeholder-text");
+}
+
+/**
+ * gtk_entry_get_placeholder_text:
+ * @entry: a #GtkEntry
+ *
+ * Gets the text to be displayed if @entry is empty and unfocused.
+ *
+ * Returns: a string or %NULL if no placeholder text is set
+ *
+ * Since: 2.16
+ **/
+const gchar *
+gtk_entry_get_placeholder_text (GtkEntry *entry)
+{
+  GtkEntryPrivate *priv;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GTK_IS_ENTRY (entry), NULL);
+
+  priv = GTK_ENTRY_GET_PRIVATE (entry);
+
+  return priv->placeholder_text;
+}
+
+/**
  * gtk_entry_set_icon_from_pixbuf:
  * @entry: a #GtkEntry
  * @icon_pos: Icon position
Index: gtk/gtkentry.h
===================================================================
--- gtk/gtkentry.h	(revision 22070)
+++ gtk/gtkentry.h	(working copy)
@@ -284,7 +284,13 @@
 							  GdkDragAction         actions);
 gint         gtk_entry_get_current_icon_drag_source      (GtkEntry             *entry);
 
+/* Placeholder text
+ */
+const gchar * gtk_entry_get_placeholder_text (GtkEntry *entry);
 
+void          gtk_entry_set_placeholder_text (GtkEntry    *entry,
+                                              const gchar *placeholder_text);
+
 /* Deprecated compatibility functions
  */
 
Index: demos/gtk-demo/entry_completion.c
===================================================================
--- demos/gtk-demo/entry_completion.c	(revision 22070)
+++ demos/gtk-demo/entry_completion.c	(working copy)
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@
     /* Assign the completion to the entry */
     gtk_entry_set_completion (GTK_ENTRY (entry), completion);
     g_object_unref (completion);
-    
+
+    gtk_entry_set_placeholder_text (GTK_ENTRY (entry), "Type here!");
+
     /* Create a tree model and use it as the completion model */
     completion_model = create_completion_model ();
     gtk_entry_completion_set_model (completion, completion_model);
