From Old French *marchier* ("to trample, to stride"), derived from Frankish *\*markōn* ("to mark a boundary by stepping"). By the 17th century it had broadened to mean "to function" for machines and processes, mirroring the idea of moving forward steadily.

The dual meaning — to walk AND to work/function — is a classic false-friend trap for English speakers. "Ça marche ?" is an extremely common everyday expression meaning "Does that work?" or "Is that okay?" — essentially the French equivalent of "Deal?" or "Sound good?" Saying *"Ça marche !"* to confirm plans is heard dozens of times a day in casual conversation.