What Spanish word can refer to the girl honored at a quinceañera?

The Spanish word quinceañera can refer to the girl honored at the celebration.

The same word is also widely used for the fifteenth-birthday celebration itself, so its precise meaning depends on the sentence. In English-language writing, it commonly describes both the young woman and the event organized around her birthday.

The term comes from quince, meaning 15, and the feminine ending -añera. Spanish spelling uses the ñ, and the word is often written without the accent in informal English contexts, although quinceañera is the standard Spanish spelling.

The honoree may take part in a formal entrance, a dance, or a religious service, but customs are not identical everywhere. Some families use modern themes and contemporary music, while others emphasize older ceremonial elements.