<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000895419-08-000057
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080902
<FILING-DATE>20080904
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080904
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CREE INC
<CIK>0000895419
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>561572719
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NC
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0628
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4600 SILICON DR
<CITY>DURHAM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27703
<PHONE>9193135300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4600 SILICON DR
<CITY>DURHAM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27703-8475
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CREE RESEARCH INC /NC/
<DATE-CHANGED>19940224
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PALMOUR JOHN W
<CIK>0001182185
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-21154
<FILM-NUMBER>081056745
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>919-313-5300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O CREE, INC.
<STREET2>4600 SILICON DRIVE
<CITY>DURHAM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27703
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-09-02</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000895419</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CREE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CREE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001182185</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PALMOUR JOHN W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CREE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4600 SILICON DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DURHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27703</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>719572</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.90</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-09-02</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-09-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of restricted stock awarded under the Cree, Inc. 2004 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the &quot;Plan&quot;).  One-fifth of the shares awarded will vest on each of September 1, 2009, September 1, 2010, September 1, 2011, September 1, 2012 and September 1, 2013, provided the recipient continues service until such dates as an employee or director of Cree, Inc. or as an employee of a related &quot;Employer&quot; as defined in the Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Of the 719,572 shares reported, 679,572 are held by Dr. Palmour directly and 40,000 shares are held indirectly by Dr. Palmour's spouse.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Option vests and becomes exercisable as to one-third of the shares on each of September 2, 2009, September 2, 2010 and September 2, 2011, provided the recipient continues service until such dates as an employee or director of Cree, Inc. or as an employee of a related &quot;Employer&quot; as defined in the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John W. Palmour</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
