Quinceañera is the Spanish term for both the girl and her fifteenth-birthday celebration.
In everyday usage, the word can identify the young woman being honored or the event itself. English-language writing often uses “quinceañera” for the celebration, while “quinceañera girl” or “the quinceañera” can refer to the celebrant. The related expression quince años literally means “fifteen years.”
The term is used across several Spanish-speaking cultures, but the actual celebration is not identical everywhere. Families may emphasize Catholic or other religious observances, a banquet, a dance program, or a contemporary party. Some celebrations are secular, and some omit older rituals altogether.
Quinceañera should not be confused with primera comunión, which means First Communion, or madrina, which means a female sponsor or godmother. The word is also distinct from cumpleañera, a general Spanish term for a female birthday celebrant.