démarche
UK /deɪˈmɑːʃ/ · US /deɪˈmɑɹʃ/ noun
Forms démarches
- noun A diplomatic maneuver; one handled with finesse.
- noun A diplomatic note without a personal attribution conveying an official protest or request for support, less formal than a bout de papier or a note verbale but of similar status to an aide-mémoire.
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French démarche, from Middle French, from 12th century demarcher (“to march”), from Old French demarchier, from de- + marchier.
Attested 1658, in sense “walk, step”; meaning “a diplomatic move” attested from 1670s.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “démarche”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details