<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000313616-04-000003
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031231
<FILING-DATE>20040105
<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>04503378
</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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<ownershipDocument>
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    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</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>Executive Deferred Income Plan -- Danaher Stock Fund</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1254.18</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>91.75</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1254.18</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14715.56</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Executive Deferred Income Plan -- Danaher Stock Fund</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F5"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1177.11</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>91.75</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1177.11</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15892.67</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Compensation deferred or contributed into the Danaher stock fund (the &quot;EDIP Stock Fund&quot;) included in Danaher's Executive Deferred Income Plan (the &quot;EDIP&quot;) is deemed to be invested in a number of unfunded, notional shares of Danaher common stock based on the closing price of Danaher common stock as reported on the NYSE on the date such compensation is credited to the EDIP Stock Fund.  Similarly, when balances are transferred out of the EDIP Stock Fund, the notional shares to be transferred out of the EDIP Stock Fund are valued based on the the closing price of Danaher common stock as reported on the NYSE on the date such notional shares are transferred out.  The price shown in Table II, Column 8 above is the closing price per share of Danaher common stock as reported on the NYSE on December 31, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The notional shares convert on a one-for-one basis.</footnote><footnote id="F3">In accordance with the terms of the EDIP, on January 1, 2001, Danaher credited a specified amount to the EDIP Stock Fund of the reporting person, and since that date the value of such notional amount has tracked the market value of Danaher's common stock.  In accordance with the terms of the EDIP, as of December 31, 2003, such notional amount was valued based on the closing price of Danaher common stock as reported on the NYSE on such date, an amount equal to one-half of such value was credited to the fixed income investment option in the reporting person's EDIP account, and a corresponding amount was debited from the reporting person's EDIP Stock Fund.  The debiting of such amount from the reporting person's EDIP Stock Fund is the transaction being reported in this line item.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The reporting person immediately vests in 100% of each voluntary contribution to the EDIP Stock Fund.  The reporting person immediately vests in 2/3 of each company contribution to the EDIP Stock Fund, with the remaining 1/3 of the contribution vesting 100% upon the earlier of the reporting person's death, or upon retirement following at least 5 years of service with Danaher and reaching the age of 55, or if earlier, one-third per vesting year of participation following eleven vesting years of participation, in each case in accordance with the plan.  Upon termination of employment, the vested portion of the EDIP Stock Fund is settled in either cash, Danaher common stock or a combination of cash and Danaher common stock, at the reporting person's election.  </footnote><footnote id="F5">In accordance with the terms of the EDIP, on January 1, 2004, Danaher credited a specified amount to the EDIP Stock Fund of the reporting person, which amount has been deemed to be invested in a number of unfunded, notional shares of Danaher common stock based on the closing price of Danaher common stock as reported on the NYSE on December 31, 2003.  As of January 1, 2004, the company contribution cycle under the EDIP changed from a three year cycle to a one year cycle, and at the end of the cycle the entirety of the amount credited to the EDIP Stock Fund at the beginning of the cycle will remain in the EDIP Stock Fund, rather than being split between the fixed-income investment option and the EDIP Stock Fund as was the practice through December 31, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>James F. O'Reilly, attorney-in-fact for H. Lawrence Culp, Jr</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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