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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-10-02</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001047253</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARMON DEBORAH L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2400 N STREET, NW - 6TH FL</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20037</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1678</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1880</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5681</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>443</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-10-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>19.10</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4181</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <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>2011 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.72</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2012-04-13</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-04-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4463</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4463</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2012 Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.74</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2013-04-11</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-04-11</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10825</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10825</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">2010 Restricted Stock Grant - 33.33% vest on 4/14/2011;  33.33% vest on 4/14/2012; and 33.33% vest on 4/14/2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">2011 Restricted Stock Grant - 33.33% vest on 4/13/2012;  33.33% vest on 4/13/2013; and 33.33% vest on 4/13/2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">2013 Restricted Stock Grant - 33.33% vest on 4/08/2014;  33.33% vest on 4/08/2015; and 33.33% vest on 4/08/2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares are held in certificate.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Shares are held in Direct Registration Account.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">2008 Stock Option Grant - 33.33% exercisable 4/07/2009; 33.33% exercisable 4/07/2010; and 34.33 exercisable 4/07/2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">2011 Stock Option Grant - 33.33% exercisable 4/13/2012; 33.33% exercisable 4/13/2013; and 33.33% exercisable 4/13/2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">2012 Stock Option Grant - 33.33% exercisable 4/11/2013; 33.33% exercisable 4/11/2014; and 33.33% exercisable 4/11/2015.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Geralyn M. Presti, Attorney-In-Fact for Deborah L. Harmon</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-10-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
