<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001205247-03-000004
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030926
<FILING-DATE>20030930
<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>CULP H LAWRENCE JR
<CIK>0001205247
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08089
<FILM-NUMBER>03916263
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>DANAHER CORP
<STREET2>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW 12TH FL
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
<PHONE>2029280850
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>DANAHER CORP
<STREET2>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW 12TH FL
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-26</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000313616</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DANAHER CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DHR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205247</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CULP H LAWRENCE JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20006</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>74.33</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-26</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>143750</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-03-26</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>143750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>143750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">20% of the options granted become exercisable as of December 1, 2006, 30% of the options granted become exercisable as of December 1, 2007 and 50% of the options granted become exercisable as of December 1, 2008; provided, that if tMr. Culp dies, is terminated on account of disability or without cause, or resigns for good reason, the vesting schedule for such grant will be revised such that 20% of the options granted will become exercisable on March 26, 2004 and an additional 20% of the options granted will become exercisable on each of the first four anniversaries of March 26, 2004.  All of the options granted will vest immediately upon a change of control of the issuer.  Exercisable options will remain exercisable following termination of Mr. Culp's employment as stated in the issuer's 1998 Stock Option Plan; provided that such options will remain exercisable for six months following a termination of Mr. Culp's employment without cause or his resignation with good reason.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>James F. O'Reilly, attorney-in-fact for H. Lawrence Culp, Jr</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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