charivari

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word charivari. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word charivari, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say charivari in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word charivari you have here. The definition of the word charivari will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofcharivari, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

The cover of the first issue (1841) of the British satirical magazine Punch, or the London Charivari

Alternative forms

Etymology

From French charivari.

Pronunciation

Noun

charivari (countable and uncountable, plural charivaris)

  1. The noisy banging of pots and pans as a mock serenade to a newly married couple, or similar occasion.
    • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 94:
      The marriage ceremony was given primordial significance over folkloric pre-marriage engagement rituals and wild charivaris.
  2. (by extension) Any loud, cacophonous noise or hubbub.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

French

FWOTD – 12 September 2020

Etymology

Inherited from Old French chalivali (“noise from pots and pans”), from Late Latin caribaria, from carivaria, from Ancient Greek καρηβάρεια (karēbáreia, “headache”, from κάρη (kárē, “head”) +‎ βαρύς (barús, “heavy”)).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʃa.ʁi.va.ʁi/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -i

Noun

charivari m (plural charivaris)

  1. (historical) charivari, shivaree (mock serenade of discordant noise, notably to heckle a publicly reviled figure)
  2. (by extension) racket, banging in general, rumpus
    Synonym: chahut
    • 1893, Émile Zola, “Le public”, in Édouard Manet, étude biographique et critique, page 365:
      Mettez dix personnes d’intelligence suffisante devant un tableau d’aspect neuf et original, et ces personnes, à elles dix, ne feront plus qu’un grand enfant ; elles se pousseront du coude, elles commenteront l’œuvre de la façon la plus comique du monde. Les badauds arriveront à la file, grossissant le groupe ; bientôt ce sera un véritable charivari, un accès de folie bête.
      Put ten people of sufficient intelligence in front of a new- and original-looking painting, and those ten people will act like children; they will elbow each other, and comment on the painting in the most ridiculous way imaginable. Passers-by will flock to them and make the group bigger; soon there will be absolute mayhem, a bout of mindless folly.

Descendants

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia