The central celebrant of a quinceañera is traditionally called a quinceañera in Spanish.
The term refers to the girl or young woman whose fifteenth-birthday celebration is being held. It is also used for the celebration itself in many English-language contexts. The masculine counterpart is quinceañero, although quinceañera celebrations have historically been associated more strongly with girls.
The word comes from quince, meaning fifteen, and the Spanish feminine ending -añera related to the fifteenth year. In everyday English, “quinceañera” can therefore identify both the celebrant and the event, depending on context.
The celebration’s details differ widely. A quinceañera may include a religious service, a formal gown, a court of honor, a waltz, symbolic rituals, and a reception. None of those individual elements is required in every family’s version.