Quinceañera is the Spanish word for the girl whose 15th birthday is being celebrated.
In English-language use, the word can refer both to the honoree and, by extension, to the celebration itself. In the narrower personal sense, it identifies the teenager reaching the traditional fifteen-year milestone.
The masculine counterpart is quinceañero, although quinceañera celebrations have historically been more strongly associated with girls. The word is built from quince, “fifteen,” with a feminine ending. Spanish spelling uses the ñ, so quinceañera is more precise than the unaccented form often seen in informal English writing.
The term should not be confused with dama or chambelán. Those words describe members of the court of honor, while the quinceañera is the central celebrant. Families may adapt the event in many ways, but the honoree’s role gives the tradition its name.