A loud, noisy, and disorderly celebration or serenade, often mocking or satirical in nature, traditionally performed outside someone's home.
From French charivari, possibly from Late Latin caribaria meaning 'headache' or from a blend of char (to make a noise) and other elements. The word evolved to describe raucous street celebrations in medieval France, particularly after weddings or to mock unpopular figures.
Charivari traditions were so common in medieval Europe that they influenced American culture—the 'shivaree' thrown for newlyweds has the exact same origin, just a different spelling that traveled across the Atlantic!
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