démarche
approach, way of walking
noun deh-MARSH Rare
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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