diff --git a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scriblib/scribblings/figure.scrbl b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scriblib/scribblings/figure.scrbl
index 3ca7346f..dc7a84be 100644
--- a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scriblib/scribblings/figure.scrbl
+++ b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scriblib/scribblings/figure.scrbl
@@ -85,6 +85,13 @@ Generates a new figure label. This function is normally not used
 directly, since it is used by @racket[figure].}
 
 
+@defproc[(suppress-floats) element?]{
+
+Produces an empty element that renders in Latex as
+@tt{\suppressfloats}, which discourages the placement of figures in
+the column or page of the surrounding text.}
+
+
 @section{Configuring Output}
 
 Output uses the following style names, which can be adjusted in an
diff --git a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-lib/scriblib/figure.rkt b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-lib/scriblib/figure.rkt
index 07028aa7..5332df55 100644
--- a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-lib/scriblib/figure.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-lib/scriblib/figure.rkt
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
          left-figure-style
          center-figure-style
          right-figure-style
+         suppress-floats
          (rename-out [left-figure-style left]))
 
 (define figure-style-extras
@@ -123,3 +124,6 @@
 
 (define Figure-ref (ref-proc "F"))
 (define figure-ref (ref-proc "f"))
+
+(define (suppress-floats)
+  (make-element "suppressfloats" null))