<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001227524-08-000001
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20071109
<FILING-DATE>20080214
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080214
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PARAMETRIC TECHNOLOGY CORP
<CIK>0000857005
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7372
<IRS-NUMBER>042866152
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>140 KENDRICK STREET
<CITY>NEEDHAM
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02494
<PHONE>7813705000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>140 KENDRICK STREET
<CITY>NEEDHAM
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02494
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DIBONA ANTHONY
<CIK>0001227524
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-18059
<FILM-NUMBER>08610187
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>7813705000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O PARAMETRIC TECHNOLOGY CORP
<STREET2>140 KENDRICK ST
<CITY>NEEDHAM
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02494
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-11-09</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2007-11-13</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000857005</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PARAMETRIC TECHNOLOGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PMTC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227524</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DIBONA ANTHONY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PARAMETRIC TECHNOLOGY CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>140 KENDRICK ST</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEEDHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02494</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Global Maintenance</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13067</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.2</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>170206</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Amendment to Form 4 is being filed to correct the number of shares tendered to the Issuer on 11/09/2007 to satisfy the tax withholding obligations of the reporting person incurred in connection with the vesting of restricted stock awards and, correspondingly, to correct the number of securities beneficially owned by the reporting person following the reported transaction.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Catherine Gorecki by Power of Attorney filed 11/2/2007</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
