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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000921847</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HUDSON CITY BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HCBK</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001206750</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>QUEST DONALD O</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>WEST 80 CENTURY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PARAMUS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07652</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.9375</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By LP</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>34.35</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By LP </value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>44000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>44000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By RRP</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>39000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>24000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By IRA</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.9375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-10-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>41000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By LP</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.9375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>80000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>80000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Award to reporting person of 55,000 shares of common stock pursuant to the Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. 2000 Recognition and Retention Plan (&quot;RRP&quot;), which the stockholders approved at a Special Meeting of Stockholders of Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. held on January 13, 2000 (&quot;Special Meeting&quot;).  On each of April 20, 2001 and 2002, 11,000 shares vested and became directly owned by the reporting person.  The shares awarded pursuant to the RRP were adjusted to reflect a 2-for-1 stock split on June 17, 2002. On April 20, 2003, 22,000 shares vested and became directly owned by the reporting person.  An additional 22,000 shares will vest on each  of April 20, 2004 and 2005.</footnote><footnote id="F2"> Grant to the reporting person of options to buy 100,000 shares of common stock pursuant to the Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. 2000 Stock Plan that was approved by stockholders. Options to buy 20,000 shares of common stock vested and became exercisable on each of January 13, 2001 and 2002.  The options awarded to the reporting were adjusted to reflect a 2-for-1 stock split on June 17, 2002 and 40,000 options vested and  became exercisable on January 13, 2003.  The unexercised options will vest and become exercisable a rate of 40,000 shares per year, on each of January 13, 2004 and 2005.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The  shares of common stock and the vested common stock options listed are held by a limited partnership (&quot;LP&quot;) of which a limited liability company (&quot;LLC&quot;) is the general partner.  The reporting person is the Manager of the LLC.  The reporting person transferred such options to buy shares that he had previously owned directly to the limited partnership. The only partners in the partnership are the reporting person and the LLC, the sole member of which is a trust for the benefit of the reporting person's wife and their descendants.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Louis J. Beierle, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-31</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

