<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001205268-03-000005
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030627
<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>ALLENDER PATRICK W
<CIK>0001205268
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08089
<FILM-NUMBER>03916274
</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/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-27</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-07-01</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000313616</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DANAHER CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DHR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205268</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ALLENDER PATRICK W</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>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive VP &amp; CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>68.35</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-27</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>62500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-03-04</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>62500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>62500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">One-half of the options granted will become exercisable on July 1, 2007 and one-half of the options granted will become exercisable on July 1, 2008.  If the reporting person dies or becomes disabled before the vesting schedule outlined above, the vesting schedule will be revised to 20% per year from the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F2">This Form 4 is being amended to revise the expiration date from June 27, 2013 to March 4, 2013.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>James F. O'Reilly, attorney-in-fact for Patrick W. Allender</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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