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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-25</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001007587</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KVH INDUSTRIES INC \DE\</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KVHI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000903732</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TRIMBLE CHARLES ROBERT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>KVH INDUSTRIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>50 ENTERPRISE CENTER</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIDDLETOWN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>RI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02842</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Director Stock Option - Right to Buy</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.02</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>20.02</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-07-25</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-07-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Annual BOD NQ stock option grant; issued pursuant to the terms &amp; conditions of the company's 1996 Incentive &amp; Non-qualified Stock Option Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Represents total vested/unexercised stock options.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Charles R. Trimble</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-28</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

