In quinceañera traditions, the Spanish word meaning “fifteen” and forming the event’s name is quince.
The word comes from Spanish quince, meaning the number 15. Quinceañera literally refers to a girl who is fifteen, while the celebration is also commonly called a fiesta de quince años, meaning “party of fifteen years.”
The term is feminine because quinceañera traditionally identifies the female celebrant. The related masculine form is quinceañero, although usage varies by country and event. The word quince itself is not the complete name of the celebration; it is the numerical element inside quinceañera.
Spanish-speaking communities use different local names for the celebration, including quince años and fiesta de quince años. In English, quinceañera is widely used for both the celebrant and the milestone celebration, depending on context.