A girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday is commonly called a quinceañera. The same word is also widely used for the coming-of-age celebration itself, so its meaning depends on context.
The term comes from Spanish: quince means “fifteen,” while the feminine ending identifies a female person. In Spanish-language usage, quinceañera can therefore describe the young woman, while quince años is another common name for the celebration.
The honoree is usually the central participant in a formal program. Depending on local custom, she may enter with parents or attendants, take part in a religious ceremony, dance a choreographed waltz, and receive symbolic gifts. Contemporary celebrations can be religious, secular, or a mixture of both.
English-language media sometimes spell the word quinceanera without the ñ or accent mark, especially when keyboards lack Spanish characters. These spellings refer to the same tradition, but quinceañera is the standard Spanish form.