The Spanish phrase “quinceañera” names the honoree of a quinceañera celebration.
The term is formed from quince, meaning fifteen, and añera, a feminine form connected with years. In ordinary usage, it can identify the young woman or girl being celebrated, while it also commonly names the event itself.
English-language sources often retain the Spanish spelling, including the ñ. The word is sometimes written without the accent or tilde in informal text, but “quinceañera” is the standard Spanish spelling.
Related terms describe other participants rather than the honoree. A madrina is generally a female sponsor or attendant, a chambelán is commonly a male member of the court, and a dama is commonly a female member of the court.