document and papers share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. document means “writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)”. papers means “writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)”. papers is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈdɑkjəmɛnt/
1.n.writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
2.n.anything serving as a representation of a person's thinking by means of symbolic marks
3.n.a written account of ownership or obligation
/ˈpeɪpɚz/
1.n.writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
| document | papers | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɑkjəmɛnt/ | /ˈpeɪpɚz/ |
| Said | DAH-kyuh-ment | PAY-purz |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 8 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun |
| Senses | 6 | 1 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | written document, papers | document, written document |
Full entry for document · Full entry for papers · More comparisons