The word “quinceañera,” used for a girl’s 15th-birthday celebration, comes from Spanish.
It is formed from quince, meaning “fifteen,” with the feminine ending -añera. In Spanish, quinceañera can identify both the honoree and, depending on regional usage, the celebration associated with her 15th birthday. The masculine counterpart is quinceañero.
The custom is particularly associated with Mexico, Central America, parts of South America, the Caribbean, and Latino communities in the United States. Although many celebrations include Catholic elements, the word itself is a Spanish-language term rather than the name of a sacrament.
English-language discussions often use quinceañera without translating it because the word identifies a culturally specific milestone. “Fiesta de quince años” is another Spanish expression for the celebration, but it is not the origin language of the single word quinceañera.