The Spanish term quinceañera names the girl whose 15th birthday is being celebrated.
The word is also used for the celebration itself in English and Spanish. In Spanish, quinceañera is the feminine form associated with a girl turning 15, while quinceañero can refer to a boy’s comparable celebration or, in some usage, a person reaching that age.
The word comes from quince, meaning “fifteen,” and añera, a form connected with years or age. The ñ is an important Spanish letter, so the spelling quinceañera is more precise than the simplified form quinceanera.
English-language usage often uses quinceañera for both the birthday event and its central celebrant. Context usually makes clear whether the word means the person or the party.