The Spanish word for the traditional fifteenth-birthday celebration is quinceañera. The same word can also refer to the girl whose fifteenth birthday is being celebrated.
The term is built around quince, the Spanish word for 15, and is commonly used throughout Spanish-speaking communities. In English-language contexts, quinceañera usually describes the entire event, while the celebrant may also be called the quinceañera.
A typical celebration can combine religious, family, and social elements. Depending on local custom, it may include a Mass, a formal entrance, a court of attendants, a ceremonial dance, a cake, and a large reception. No single program is mandatory everywhere.
The word is sometimes written without the ñ as quinceanera when keyboards or systems lack the Spanish letter. The spelling with ñ is the standard Spanish form. The related masculine term quinceañero is used in some communities for a boy’s fifteenth-birthday celebration.