The Spanish word for the girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday is quinceañera.
The term combines quince, meaning fifteen, with a feminine ending. In everyday usage, quinceañera can refer both to the celebrant and, depending on context, to the celebration held for her. The masculine counterpart is quinceañero, although terminology varies across Spanish-speaking communities.
A quinceañera may be accompanied by a court of relatives or friends, including damas and chambelanes. These participants can take part in an entrance, choreographed dances, or other formal parts of the event. Their roles are ceremonial and do not define the meaning of the word quinceañera itself.
Spelling matters: the ñ is part of the standard Spanish form, and quinceañera is pronounced differently from a version written with n. English-language writing often uses quinceañera without translating it because the word identifies a specific cultural tradition rather than just any fifteenth-birthday party.