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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-05</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000085388</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ROUSE COMPANY</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RSE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001215319</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DEERING ANTHONY W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE ROUSE COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10275 LITTLE PATUXENT PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>COLUMBIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21044</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
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id="F5"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>33875</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-11-05</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-02-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>33875</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">In payment of the Purchase Price upon the exercise of stock options granted under an employee stock option plan of The Rouse Company, the Reporting Person surrendered an aggregate of 359,510 shares of Company Common Stock.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Gift of 30,000 shares of The Rouse Company Common Stock to The Charlesmead Foundation.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Shares of stock withheld by The Rouse Company in payment of tax obligations under the exercise of stock options granted under an employee stock option plan of The Rouse Company.</footnote><footnote id="F4">In addition, Reporting Person indirectly holds 4,745.626 shares of Common Stock of The Rouse Company in a 401(k) account.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Grant of &quot;reload&quot; stock options pursuant to The Rouse Company 2001 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/Jeffrey C. Palkovitz - attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

