The Spanish term quinceañera traditionally refers to the girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday.
The term comes from quince años, meaning “fifteen years,” and is also used for the celebration itself in many contexts. In English, quinceañera can therefore describe either the honoree or the event, depending on the sentence.
The masculine form quinceañero may refer to a boy celebrating a comparable fifteenth-birthday event, although that usage is less widespread internationally. Other words in the tradition have different meanings: a madrina is a female sponsor or godmother, while a chambelán is commonly a male attendant. These roles should not be confused with the honoree.