nose leaf

noun

1. a leaflike outgrowth of skin on the nose of various bats, thought to be sensitive to vibrations of the air.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nose leaf¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Its snout sports a fleshy, unicorn-like protrusion called a “nose leaf,” which it uses to direct its echolocating calls.

Read more on Washington Post

These all show the prominent nose leaf distinguishing the family Phyllostomatidae and, as the Mayas probably used the largest and most conspicuous of the native species for artistic representation, it is likely that some one of the three species above mentioned is the one here shown.

Read more on Project Gutenberg