The Spanish word quinceañera names the young woman celebrating her fifteenth birthday.
In everyday English, quinceañera also commonly means the entire fifteenth-birthday celebration. Spanish usage can distinguish the person from the event through context: the celebrant is la quinceañera, while the party may be called a fiesta de quince años or quinceañera.
The feminine form reflects the traditional focus on a girl’s transition into young womanhood. A boy’s comparable celebration may be called a quinceañero, although naming and customs differ among communities. These terms should not be confused with madrina, which means a female sponsor or godmother, or dama, which can describe a female member of the court.
Spelling matters: quinceañera uses the letter ñ. Without the tilde, quinceanera is often used in English typing, but the Spanish spelling is quinceañera.