The trident leaf-nosed bat is named after its distinctive nose-leaf, a fleshy structure surrounding the nose, common to many bats, which on this species has three projections; the outer two projections have blunt tips while the central one is pointed. The fur of the trident leaf-nosed bat varies in colour, from pale greyish-brown to a pale yellow, and the underside is whitish. The ears are very large and almost hairless, and the tail projects up to five millimetres beyond the flight membrane. The trident leaf-nosed bat is also distinguished by the lack of a tragus (the bump in front of the opening of the ear), which is very well-developed in most bats.