This study presents the usage markings (diastratic, diachronic, dianormative etc.) assigned to a selected sample of words and usages by fourteen 19th century French dictionaries, from "Lavaux" (1820) to the "Nouveau Larousse Illustré" of 1904. The development discernible is related to the history of linguistics and society. This points up the sometimes considerable significance of relatively little known dictionaries, without in any way gainsaying the originality of the "Littré" or the specific merits of the "Dictionnaire Général", the first dictionary to reflect the influence of theoretical linguistics (Darmesteter, Gilliéron etc.).