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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-11-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001040829</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT CO /DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GET</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001376323</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TRT Holdings Inc</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>600 EAST LAS COLINAS BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>IRVING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75039</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001436419</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Rowling Robert B.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>600 EAST LAS COLINAS BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>IRVING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75039</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock,  Par Value $.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-11-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.1028</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6118440</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On November 6, 2008, TRT Holdings, Inc. (&quot;TRT&quot;) purchased 50,000 shares of the common stock of Gaylord Entertainment Company (&quot;GEC&quot;) in 328 open market purchases, at prices ranging from $13.62 to $14.41 per share, and with a weighted-average per-share price of $14.1028.  TRT agrees to provide, upon request by the Securities Exchange Commission, GEC, or a holder of the common stock of GEC, full information regarding  the number of shares purchased at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reported securities are owned directly by TRT.  Robert B. Rowling indirectly beneficially owns the reported securities due to his ownership of all of the Class B shares of Common Stock of TRT.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Terrell T Philen, Jr., Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-11-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Terrell T Philen, Jr., as Attorney-in-Fact for Robert B. Rowling</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-11-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
