The Spanish term for the girl celebrated at a traditional 15th-birthday event is quinceañera.
The noun is feminine and identifies the central honoree. In many communities, the same word is also used informally for the celebration itself, which can create confusion for learners of Spanish. The event may instead be called quince años or simply a quince.
The honoree is often presented to family and guests during a formal program. Depending on local custom, she may wear a formal gown, participate in a religious service, dance with attendants, and receive symbolic gifts. None of those details is required in every family’s version.
A related masculine term, quinceañero, is sometimes used for a boy’s comparable celebration. It is not the same word as dama, which generally refers to a female attendant, or chambelán, which commonly refers to a male attendant.