<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-06-21</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000038067</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FOREST CITY ENTERPRISES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FCEA/FCEB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001046370</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JARRETT JERRY V</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>186 GRAND OAK CIRCLE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>VENICE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>34292</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-06-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.23</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7327</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2003 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.50</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-03-17</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-03-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2005 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>31.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-04-06</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-04-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2006 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>46.37</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-04-04</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-04-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2007 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>65.35</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-03-29</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-03-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10800</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2008 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>37.68</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-04-07</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-04-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5319</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5319</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2009 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.80</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-04-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-04-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10966</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10966</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2010 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.89</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-04-14</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-04-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8007</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8007</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares are held in street account.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">2003 Stock Option Grant - 25% exercisable 3/17/2005; 25% exercisable 3/17/2006; and 50% exercisable 3/17/2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">2005 Stock Option Grant - 25% exercisable 4/06/2007; 25% exercisable 4/06/2008; and 50% exersicable 4/06/2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">2006 Stock Option Grant - 25% exercisable 4/04/2008; 25% exercisable 4/04/2009; and 50% exersicable 4/04/2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">2007 Stock Option Grant - 25% exercisable 3/29/2009; 25% exercisable 3/29/2010; and 50% exercisable 3/29/2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">2008 Stock Option Grant - 33.33% exercisable 4/07/2009; 33.33% exercisable 4/07/2010; and 33.33% exercisable 4/07/2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">2009 Stock Option Grant - 33.33% exercisable 4/21/2010; 33.33% exercisable 4/21/2011; and 33.33% exercisable 4/21/2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">2010 Stock Option Grant - 33.33% exercisable 4/14/2011; 33.33% exercisable 4/14/2012; and 33.33% exercisable 4/14/2013.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Geralyn M. Presti, Attorney-In-Fact for Jerry V. Jarrett</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-06-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
