What Spanish word literally means a girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday?

Quinceañera is the Spanish word for a girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday.

The term is feminine and is closely connected to quince años, the Spanish phrase for “fifteen years.” In everyday English, quinceañera can mean either the honoree or the entire birthday celebration, depending on context. The spelling includes the ñ, although “quinceanera” is also commonly written without the accent mark in English-language settings.

The masculine form is quinceañero. It is used for a boy’s fifteenth-birthday celebration, although that tradition is less widespread and less standardized than the quinceañera. In some communities, families adapt the event for any gender or create a shared celebration.

The word should not be confused with chambelán, which generally refers to a male member of the honoree’s ceremonial court. Dama usually refers to a female member of that court. These terms describe participants, not the birthday tradition itself.