quinceañera

Or quin·ce·a·ne·ra

[keens-ah-nyair-uh]

noun

1. (among Hispanics in Latin America and the U.S.) a celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday, marking her transition from childhood to maturity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of quinceañera¹

First recorded in 1970–75; from Spanish, feminine of quinceañero “fifteen-year-old,” from quince “fifteen” (from Latin quīndecim ) + año “year” (from Latin annus ) + -ero adjective suffix (from Latin -ārius )

Example Sentences

Twenty years later, DelGado is helping create that same belated celebration for others who never had a quinceañera of their own.

From Los Angeles Times

Lushious now sees the upcoming Queerce as a chance to celebrate the quinceañera she never had and to fully own who she is — this time, without having to steal her cousin’s spotlight.

From Los Angeles Times

“I would have had the biggest quinceañera ever, with the most beautiful dress and the most beautiful hair,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

“We actually hosted a double quinceañera at Redline a while ago, and I love the idea of blending my Belizean culture with my queerness,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

To Alpuche, the quinceañera represents more than a party.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What is a quinceañera?

A quinceañera is a celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday in Hispanic communities in Latin American and the United States. Quinceañeras typically begin with a Catholic Mass or other Christian religious service, although some families choose not to hold a religious service. Next is a reception with immediate and extended family and friends. The reception generally includes food, music and dancing, and ceremonies.Example: We celebrated our daughter’s fifteenth birthday yesterday with quinceañera and everyone had a great time.