The young woman celebrating her fifteenth birthday is commonly called the quinceañera.
The term comes from quince, the Spanish word for fifteen, combined with a feminine ending. In everyday usage, quinceañera can also refer to the celebration itself, especially in English-language communities. Spanish usage may distinguish the celebrant from the fiesta de quince años, the party or occasion.
The quinceañera is typically the central figure in the ceremony, reception, entrance, formal dance, and family rituals. Her dress, presentation, and participation in the program are often planned months in advance, although the scale can range from a large formal event to a small family gathering.
Quinceañera is not simply another word for debutante. A debutante is a young woman formally introduced into society, while quinceañera specifically refers to the fifteenth-birthday tradition rooted in Latin American culture and its diaspora.