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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 FFWvK0vyXWUP/qcmZJL7PMo6d21zM88hTmPNySZ30TgGU9WZGv8VkF287Y8Q1kbW
 TdDbH2wJ9hMVDruhdvxuwA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001018633-03-000006.txt : 20031218
<SEC-HEADER>0001018633-03-000006.hdr.sgml : 20031218
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031218132722
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001018633-03-000006
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031218
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031218

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NORDSON CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000072331
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	GENERAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT, NEC [3569]
		IRS NUMBER:				340590250
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1103

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		28601 CLEMENS RD
		CITY:			WESTLAKE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44145
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2168921580

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		28601 CLEMENS ROAD
		CITY:			WESTLAKE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44145

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FIELDS BRUCE H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001018633
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1031

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-07977
		FILM NUMBER:		031061832

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NORDSON CORPORATION
		STREET 2:		28601 CLEMENS ROAD
		CITY:			WESTLAKE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44145
		BUSINESS PHONE:		440/892-1580

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		28601 CLEMENS ROAD
		CITY:			WESTLAKE
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44145
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-18</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000072331</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORDSON CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NDSN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001018633</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FIELDS BRUCE H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>28601 CLEMENS ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTLAKE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44145</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VICE PRESIDENT</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>COMMON SHARES</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9600</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16961</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnershi
p><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>COMMON SHARES</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9600</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>32.944</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7361</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><security
Title><value>COMMON SHARES</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>16</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>BY CHILDREN</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>28.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9600</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><
value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1995-10-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-10-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON SHARES</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>9600</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 2,007 shares owned thru Co. 401(k) Plan; 298 shares owned thru Co. Excess Retirement Plan; and 56 Shares owned thru Co. Dividend Reinvestment Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Shares owned by children held by Cust. Bruce H. Fields thru Co. Dividend Reinvestment Plan.  Reporting perso
n disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Exercise price of derivative security reported in Column 2.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert E Veillette, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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