<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-09-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000095052</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELIZABETH ARDEN INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RDEN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001669613</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Cleary George</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2400 SW 145 AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIRAMAR</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President, Global Fragrances</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated June 16, 2016 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) by and among the Issuer and Revlon, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, and RR Transaction Corp., on September 7, 2016 (the &quot;Closing Date&quot;) each share of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.01 per share, held by the Reporting Person immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), was converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash per share, less any required withholding taxes.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>George Cleary</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-09-07
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001669613
Cleary George
ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
2400 SW 145 AVENUE
MIRAMAR
FL
33027
0
1
0
0
President, Global Fragrances
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-09-07
4
D
0
5000
D
0
D
Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated June 16, 2016 (the "Merger Agreement") by and among the Issuer and Revlon, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, and RR Transaction Corp., on September 7, 2016 (the "Closing Date") each share of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.01 per share, held by the Reporting Person immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), was converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash per share, less any required withholding taxes.
George Cleary
2016-09-09