The Spanish word quinceañera describes the young woman honored at a quinceañera celebration.
The term can refer both to the celebrant and, in many English-language contexts, to the entire celebration. It is pronounced approximately keen-say-ah-NYEH-rah, although pronunciation varies among Spanish-speaking regions.
The masculine form, quinceañero, can describe a boy reaching the same milestone, but the feminine celebration is much more widely recognized. English-language discussions often retain the Spanish word because it identifies a specific cultural tradition rather than simply a fifteenth birthday party.