<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001124887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CERIDIAN CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CEN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001104293</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LEMAY RONALD T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>OCTOBER CAPITAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>444 W. 47TH STREET, SUITE 320</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64112</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1245</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15862</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Award of shares pursuant to Ceridian Corporation's  Amended and Restated 2001 Director Performance Incentive Plan in payment of a portion of the director's annual retainer in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(d).</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>William E. McDonald, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

