Shivaree
/ˌʃɪvəˈriː/noun
A noisy, mock serenade or boisterous celebration, especially one held for newlyweds.
Did you know?Shivaree entered American English as a rowdy folk custom, and its exact origin is uncertain, with some scholars linking it to French Canadian or dialectal forms for a noisy commotion rather than any occult source.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
shivaree
“A loud, rowdy mock serenade or noisy celebration, especially for a marriage”
18th–19th Century
North American French
charivari
“A noisy public racket, often used to mock or harass someone, especially newlyweds or widowers”
Medieval French
French
charivari
“A din, racket, or cacophonous uproar”
Late Latin
Latin
caribaria
“Confusion, headache, or a state of disordered noise”
Uncertain earlier source
?
*kar-
“A possible imitative or expressive base associated with harsh sound and clamor, but the deeper origin is not firmly established”