The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

papers \pa"pers\ n. pl.
   Documents providing information, esp. of an official nature
   about a person, vehicle, business, etc. See paper[9], n.

   Syn: document, written document.
        [WordNet 1.5]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

papers
    n 1: writing that provides information (especially information
         of an official nature) [syn: document, written
         document, papers]