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démarche

approach, way of walking

noun deh-MARSH Rare
People & Society Work

Origin: From dé- + marche (step, walk).

Also means

process, procedure, application

Usage Note

Démarche has two distinct registers: in everyday speech it means someone's gait or way of walking (une démarche élégante); in administrative and business French it means a formal step or process (une démarche administrative — filling in forms, making an official request). Learners often encounter the second sense first in bureaucratic contexts.

Examples

"Il faut suivre une démarche administrative précise."

Natural Translation

You have to follow a precise administrative process.

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