<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001015014-03-000001
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030821
<FILING-DATE>20030822
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DANAHER CORP /DE/
<CIK>0000313616
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3823
<IRS-NUMBER>591995548
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE N.W., 12TH FLOOR
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
<PHONE>2028280850
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE. N.W., 12TH FLOOR
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>DMG INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19850221
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>RALES MITCHELL P
<CIK>0001015014
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08089
<FILM-NUMBER>03863223
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1250 24TH ST NW
<STREET2>8TH FL
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20037
<PHONE>2028280850
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1250 24TH ST NW
<STREET2>SUITE 800
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20037
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000313616</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DANAHER CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DHR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001015014</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RALES MITCHELL P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20006-1813</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman of Executive Committe</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1000000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>76.31</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7620921</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Mitchell P. Rales is the beneficial owner of 25,628,291 Shares of which 7,620,921 are held directly and 18,007,370 are held indirectly through Equity Group Holdings LLC and Equity Group Holdings II LLC.  The Shares beneficially owned by Mitchell P. Rales include Shares pledged as collateral to secure a loan of Shares by Capital Yield Corporation (&quot;CYC&quot;).</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Mitchell P. Rales</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
