<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-15</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001018099</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MILLENNIUM CHEMICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MCH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001030536</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LUSHEFSKI JOHN E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President &amp; CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock $0.01 par value/share</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-15</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>63</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>11.75</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>9354</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>I</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <natureOfOwnership>
                <value>SSIP</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </natureOfOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the value of the Reporting Person's Stock Fund Account in the Company's Supplemental Savings and Investment Plan as of May 15, 2003, expressed as share equivalents.  As of such date, approximately 97.1% of such fund was invested in Company Common Stock, and the remainder was invested in cash.  Please note that share equivalent accounting affects the total in column 5.

Please refer to attached Exhibit 99 for &quot;Amount of Securities Owned following Required Transaction(s)&quot; in Table I and also for totals of Derivative Securities formerly reported in Table II.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/John E. Lushefski</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

