What language does the word “quinceañera” come from?

The word “quinceañera” comes from Spanish.

It is built from quince, meaning “fifteen,” with a feminine ending referring to a girl or young woman. The related phrase quince años means “fifteen years.”

In English, quinceañera usually refers both to the girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday and to the celebration itself. Spanish usage can vary by country and family, but the word’s language of origin is not disputed.

The term is sometimes written without the ñ as quinceanera when keyboards or systems lack the Spanish letter. That spelling represents the same word, although quinceañera is the standard Spanish form.