Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A0.2SeniorNotesDue2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A0.45SeniorNotesDue2028Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A0.75SeniorNotesDue2031Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A1.35SeniorNotesDue2039Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A1.8SeniorNotesDue2049Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A2.05SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A2.2SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A2.6SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2029Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A3.25SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2039Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dhr_A3.4SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2049Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Financing (Long-Term Indebtedness Related to the Pending GE Biopharma Acquisition) (Table) (Details) - Senior notes € in Millions, $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Nov. 07, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 18, 2019 EUR (€)
0.2% senior notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| €			€ 1,250.0
Interest rate of debt instrument			0.20%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage			99.833%
0.45% senior notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| €			€ 1,250.0
Interest rate of debt instrument			0.45%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage			99.751%
0.75% senior notes due 2031
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| €			€ 1,750.0
Interest rate of debt instrument			0.75%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage			99.92%
1.35% senior notes due 2039
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| €			€ 1,250.0
Interest rate of debt instrument			1.35%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage			99.461%
1.8% senior notes due 2049
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| €			€ 750.0
Interest rate of debt instrument			1.80%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage			99.564%
2.05% senior unsecured notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| $		$ 700.0
Interest rate of debt instrument	2.05%	2.05%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	99.994%	99.994%
2.2% senior unsecured notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| $		$ 700.0
Interest rate of debt instrument	2.20%	2.20%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	99.952%	99.952%
2.6% senior unsecured notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| $		$ 800.0
Interest rate of debt instrument	2.60%	2.60%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	99.903%	99.903%
3.25% senior unsecured notes due 2039
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| $		$ 900.0
Interest rate of debt instrument	3.25%	3.25%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	99.809%	99.809%
3.4% senior unsecured notes due 2049
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount \| $		$ 900.0
Interest rate of debt instrument	3.40%	3.40%
Debt instrument, redemption price, percentage	99.756%	99.756%