<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000313616-04-000012
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031231
<FILING-DATE>20040129
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>LUTZ ROBERT S
<CIK>0001210228
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08089
<FILM-NUMBER>04552536
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>DANAHER CORP.
<STREET2>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE.
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>2006
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<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>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2004-01-05</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000313616</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DANAHER CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DHR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001210228</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LUTZ ROBERT S</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>VP -- Chief Accounting Officer</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>2004-01-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>219.72</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>91.75</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>227.57</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>439.28</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></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">The reporting person immediately vests in 100% of each voluntary contribution to the EDIP Stock Fund.  The reporting person will vest in all company contributions to the EDIP Stock Fund as follows: 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, 10% per vesting year of participation following five 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="F4">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>
        <footnote id="F5">This amendment is being filed to revise the number of notional shares set forth in Column 7 from 219.72 to 227.57 and the number of notional shares in Column 9 from 431.43 to 439.28.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James F. O'Reilly, attorney-in-fact for Robert S. Lutz</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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