What Spanish word means the girl being honored at a traditional quinceañera?

Quinceañera is the Spanish word commonly used for the girl being honored at the celebration.

The term is grammatically feminine and is associated with quince años, the fifteenth birthday. In everyday usage, quinceañera can identify either the celebrant or the event itself, so context determines which meaning is intended. English-language sources commonly use the same Spanish word rather than translating it.

A quinceañera is not simply a generic word for any birthday girl. It specifically refers to a young woman connected with a culturally recognized fifteenth-birthday tradition. The masculine form quinceañero is used in some contexts for a boy’s comparable celebration, although terminology and popularity vary.

The word is sometimes misspelled without the ñ or accent mark in English text. The ñ is part of Spanish orthography, and the written form with the accent is the standard Spanish spelling. Regional usage can still produce variations in pronunciation and related terms.