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charivari (n.)
"rough music, a mock-serenade intended as annoyance or insult," especially as a community way of expressing disapproval of a marriage match, 1735, from French charivari, from Old French chalivali "discordant noise made by pots and pans" (14c.), from Late Latin caribaria "a severe headache," from Greek karebaria "headache," from karē- "head" (from PIE root *ker- (1) "horn; head") + barys "heavy" (from PIE root *gwere- (1) "heavy"). Compare callithumpian.
updated on January 17, 2023
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Dictionary entries near charivari
charioteer
charisma
charismatic
charitable
charity
charivari
charlatan
charlatanism
Charlemagne
Charles
Charles's Wain