The Spanish word quinceañera names the girl celebrating her 15th birthday.
The term is feminine and is commonly used for both the honoree and the celebration. It comes from quince, meaning 15, with a feminine ending. In some contexts, people also use quinceañera to describe the complete event, including its ceremony, reception, clothing, music, and symbolic rituals.
The male counterpart is quinceañero, although celebrations for boys are less standardized and less widespread than the traditional quinceañera. English-language communities often retain the Spanish term because it identifies a specific cultural ceremony rather than an ordinary birthday party.
Spelling varies in informal English, where quinceanera may appear without the ñ or accent mark. The standard Spanish spelling is quinceañera. The tilde changes the pronunciation of ñ, while the accent mark indicates the stressed syllable. These written details are useful, but the central meaning remains the same: a young woman marking her fifteenth birthday.