If you’re anywhere in Italy right now you’ll have noticed that the weather has been far from spring-like recently.

We’re in the midst of what is predicted to be at least a week of freezing temperatures thanks to an icy blast of air sweeping down from the north, according to Italy’s weather forecasters.

The colder-than-average temperatures for early March after months of relatively mild winter weather have prompted Italian newspapers to give the month a new name: ‘Gennarzo‘.

As you might be able to guess, this is a cross between the words marzo (March) and gennaio (January).

Il mese di marzo si traveste da gennaio e si fa chiamare ‘Gennarzo’. – calabrianews.it

The month of March disguises itself as January and calls itself ‘Gennarzo’

Gennarzo sembra in ottima forma e pronto a regalare paesaggi imbiancati ancora per un po’ di tempo. – ilmeteo.it

‘Gennarzo’ looks in excellent shape and ready to give us white landscapes for a while.

This made-up word is of course not to be confused with Gennaro, an Italian boys’ name (which is especially popular in Naples).

Do you have a favourite Italian word or phrase you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.