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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-01-30</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000278130</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PIER 1 IMPORTS INC/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PIR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001439019</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COFFEY LAURA A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PIER 1 IMPORTS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>100 PIER 1 PLACE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. Vice President - Planning</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-01-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>74.3605</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.81</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>85897.9615</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On January 30, 2015, the Pier 1 Imports, Inc. Stock Purchase Plan, restated as amended, purchased in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(c), 74.3605 shares of common stock for January 2015 contributions credited to the reporting person's account.  Such shares were purchased at the closing price of the Issuer's common stock on the New York Stock Exchange for January 30, 2015.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/a/ Laura A. Coffey  By: Christopher L. Mabe, Atty-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-02-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
