quinceaños

Spanish

Etymology

From quince (“fifteen”) +‎ años (“years”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /kinθeˈaɲos/ [kĩn̟.θeˈa.ɲos]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /kinseˈaɲos/ [kĩn.seˈa.ɲos]
• Rhymes: -aɲos
• Syllabification: quin‧ce‧a‧ños

Noun

quinceaños m (plural quinceaños)

1. a Mexican girl’s 15th birthday party (becoming a woman)

   Synonym: quinceañera

Usage notes

• This word has a singular meaning, but is treated grammatically both as a singular and as a plural:
• (plural form) 2000, Oscar Yanes, Pura Pantalla, page 214
• : […] estaba invitado a los quinceaños de Carlota Elizabeth.
• (singular form) 1998, Homero Galarza Elizondo, La Estación, page 52
• : […] para el quinceaños de su hija.

Further reading

• “quinceaños”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10