<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with Wdesk from Workiva-->
<!--Copyright 2020 Workiva-->
<!--r:330b56a2-c7ac-4fd6-83e6-cd125a96e68b,g:8f38e8aa-74bc-44f5-ab45-484684aa3f5f-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member"/>
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.dovercorporation.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="dov-20200421.xsd#Cover"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://www.dovercorporation.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="extended" id="i7e5cd8bf038945ff87d5017580adec35_68c4f5dd-6e9b-4eb3-850a-a6d7d8e2a765">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_8cbd590e-0264-4517-a496-244a888196a5" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_8cbd590e-0264-4517-a496-244a888196a5" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_cf898312-7114-4948-ba5a-a47a22e14d93" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_cf898312-7114-4948-ba5a-a47a22e14d93" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_f47cbafa-d0fc-4b1a-bacb-ba5918475fcd" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_f47cbafa-d0fc-4b1a-bacb-ba5918475fcd" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_ba232efe-6a97-4199-bedb-a08a89af4edd" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_ba232efe-6a97-4199-bedb-a08a89af4edd" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_da5314a6-8ac5-40f5-8aea-700843a0846f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_da5314a6-8ac5-40f5-8aea-700843a0846f" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_e929aaf3-d91c-46bc-b857-875033cf6b4c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_e929aaf3-d91c-46bc-b857-875033cf6b4c" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_a7529a00-b1ea-4ec7-a4bd-6f636c448c2b" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_a7529a00-b1ea-4ec7-a4bd-6f636c448c2b" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_32d73dcf-d4f6-4ea1-9e0a-1eac05da5464" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_32d73dcf-d4f6-4ea1-9e0a-1eac05da5464" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_7415c400-3768-4077-a279-211d965f8d9f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_7415c400-3768-4077-a279-211d965f8d9f" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_410958ec-b98e-402a-846e-34bb518f3a0c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_410958ec-b98e-402a-846e-34bb518f3a0c" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_82635757-f8cc-40b3-aeff-d6ae0a9b9a92" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_82635757-f8cc-40b3-aeff-d6ae0a9b9a92" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_fd70c406-bb1a-4b62-a4b3-c8ed5ac5089d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_fd70c406-bb1a-4b62-a4b3-c8ed5ac5089d" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_b0ff3dae-0e82-4bb1-be33-262b188c66f7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_b0ff3dae-0e82-4bb1-be33-262b188c66f7" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_daac88c0-f2db-49ef-b2ce-71ea930cc1a4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_daac88c0-f2db-49ef-b2ce-71ea930cc1a4" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_053e229e-ba3d-498d-883e-35506366a28d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_053e229e-ba3d-498d-883e-35506366a28d" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_224b0f58-d59c-496e-91d9-2f067e230968" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_224b0f58-d59c-496e-91d9-2f067e230968" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_9d8e2a76-11f9-4edb-82a3-6ee7ad4e350e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_9d8e2a76-11f9-4edb-82a3-6ee7ad4e350e" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_76569eb5-279f-4d61-a8af-ee9a255fe116" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_76569eb5-279f-4d61-a8af-ee9a255fe116" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_f4b664c0-5847-4269-9d8e-c29c38670e0e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_f4b664c0-5847-4269-9d8e-c29c38670e0e" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_6a68b0a4-dc71-4cbe-b58b-660e63e92c8f" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_6a68b0a4-dc71-4cbe-b58b-660e63e92c8f" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_3a5fc6df-6526-41a5-a27a-fb2a8cb12c86" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_3a5fc6df-6526-41a5-a27a-fb2a8cb12c86" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_5cd5031f-7aff-4904-acc1-bf93373fa12c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_5cd5031f-7aff-4904-acc1-bf93373fa12c" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_5d640678-fc8d-48bc-930b-174df7ddd6ed" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntitiesTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_9ae1925f-37eb-40f3-8874-f614fe25c4c7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_5d640678-fc8d-48bc-930b-174df7ddd6ed" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_5825db45-b99a-4940-af71-1207243e9463" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_LegalEntityAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_5d640678-fc8d-48bc-930b-174df7ddd6ed" xlink:to="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_5825db45-b99a-4940-af71-1207243e9463" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityDomain_5825db45-b99a-4940-af71-1207243e9463_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_5825db45-b99a-4940-af71-1207243e9463" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityDomain_5825db45-b99a-4940-af71-1207243e9463_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityDomain_d0990cfe-b569-4668-ba5e-ce1211e07420" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2019/dei-2019-01-31.xsd#dei_EntityDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_5825db45-b99a-4940-af71-1207243e9463" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityDomain_d0990cfe-b569-4668-ba5e-ce1211e07420" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_c9648d73-fd24-4ffb-8803-577f10c2cd30" xlink:href="http://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2018/elts/us-gaap-2018-01-31.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_5d640678-fc8d-48bc-930b-174df7ddd6ed" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_c9648d73-fd24-4ffb-8803-577f10c2cd30" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_c9648d73-fd24-4ffb-8803-577f10c2cd30_default" xlink:href="http://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2018/elts/us-gaap-2018-01-31.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_c9648d73-fd24-4ffb-8803-577f10c2cd30" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_c9648d73-fd24-4ffb-8803-577f10c2cd30_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_4b8f3052-d781-4f19-a557-8eab32a7c1f0" xlink:href="http://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2018/elts/us-gaap-2018-01-31.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_c9648d73-fd24-4ffb-8803-577f10c2cd30" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_4b8f3052-d781-4f19-a557-8eab32a7c1f0" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dov_A0750NotesDue2027Member_197706ab-a1bd-4096-8c2d-b89706e44ebf" xlink:href="dov-20200421.xsd#dov_A0750NotesDue2027Member"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_4b8f3052-d781-4f19-a557-8eab32a7c1f0" xlink:to="loc_dov_A0750NotesDue2027Member_197706ab-a1bd-4096-8c2d-b89706e44ebf" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dov_A1250NotesDue2026Member_a829b31a-0606-429d-8d8c-4dd3eb411311" xlink:href="dov-20200421.xsd#dov_A1250NotesDue2026Member"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_4b8f3052-d781-4f19-a557-8eab32a7c1f0" xlink:to="loc_dov_A1250NotesDue2026Member_a829b31a-0606-429d-8d8c-4dd3eb411311" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_35bba7ea-41e4-43a7-8152-3580125c303b" xlink:href="http://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2018/elts/us-gaap-2018-01-31.xsd#us-gaap_CommonStockMember"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_4b8f3052-d781-4f19-a557-8eab32a7c1f0" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_35bba7ea-41e4-43a7-8152-3580125c303b" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
