Etymology        

• Latin root: concoquere — “to cook together,” from con- (together) + coquere (to cook).
• Early English usage: In the 1500s, it referred to the process of digesting food or brewing mixtures.
• Shift in meaning: By the 1600s, it had evolved metaphorically to mean devising or fabricating something by combining elements, often with a sense of trickery or invention.

So when someone says, “he concocted the story,” it implies the story was artificially created or fabricated, often with some cunning or deceit.

The negative connotation of “concocted” is a cautionary tale about how its meaning shifted over time:

1.  Original Neutral Meaning

• In Latin (concoquere), it literally meant “to cook together” or “to digest.” Early English usage in the 1500s was neutral, referring to the preparation of food or medicine.

2.  Metaphorical Shift

• By the 1600s, it began to be used metaphorically for “putting ideas together”—much like mixing ingredients.  Initially, this was neutral, meaning “to devise or plan.”

3.  Emergence of Deception

• Over time, the sense of artificiality and secret mixing gave it a shady undertone.  If you “concoct” something, it sounds like you’re cooking up something behind the scenes, which implies trickery or dishonesty.  This emergence of deception is a key aspect of the word’s evolution.
• By the 1700s–1800s, it was commonly used for fabricated stories, schemes, or plots, often with the intent to deceive.

4.  Why Negative?

• The imagery of mixing things in secret suggests manipulation.
• Unlike “create” or “compose,” which sound constructive, “concoct” implies contrivance—something unnatural or forced.

Here are some historical examples showing how concoct and concocted were used in literature, especially as the meaning shifted toward deception:

5. 17th Century

• Thomas Browne (1646) – Pseudodoxia Epidemica:
  “Many have concocted strange opinions and delivered them as truths.”
  → Here, “concocted” implies fabricating false ideas, not just creating.

6. 18th Century

• Samuel Johnson (1751) – The Rambler:
  “He that has once concocted a falsehood, and finds it pass current, is tempted to add another.”
  → Strongly harmful: deliberate lying.
• Edmund Burke (1790) – Reflections on the Revolution in France:
  “They have concocted a scheme of liberty without wisdom.”
  → Suggests artificial, ill-conceived plotting.

7. 19th Century

• Charles Dickens (1853) – Bleak House:
  “He had concocted the whole story to serve his own ends.”
  → By this time, the phrase “concocted the story” was firmly established as meaning invented deceitfully.

8.  Pattern of Negative Connotation

• Early uses (1600s): “concoct” = to prepare or devise (neutral).
• By the 1700s: Associated with falsehood and scheming.
• By the 1800s: Common in phrases like “concocted a story”, meaning fabricated with intent to deceive.

Here’s a comparison of “concoct,” “fabricate,” and “contrive” in terms of meaning, tone, and nuance:

9.  Concoct

• Origin: Latin concoquere = “cook together.”
• Core Meaning: To prepare or devise by mixing elements.
• Modern Sense: To invent something (often a story or excuse) with an implication of deceit.
• Tone: Suggests secretive mixing and artificiality.
• Example: He concocted an elaborate story to avoid blame.

10.  Fabricate

• Origin: Latin fabricare = “to build, construct.”
• Core Meaning: To make or construct something.
• Modern Sense: To manufacture something false, especially evidence or lies.
• Tone: Strongly negative when applied to truth; implies deliberate falsification.
• Example: The witness fabricated evidence to mislead the jury.

11.  Contrive

• Origin: Old French controver = “to devise, invent.”
• Core Meaning: To plan or devise with skill.
• Modern Sense: Neutral in some contexts (ingenious planning), but often implies forced or unnatural invention.
• Tone: Can sound clever but artificial, sometimes scheming.
• Example: She contrived a way to meet him without arousing suspicion.

12.  Key Differences

• Concoct = “Cook up” → secretive, crafty invention (often stories or excuses).
• Fabricate = “Build” → deliberate falsehood, often with evidence or facts.
• Contrive = “Plan” → artificial or forced ingenuity, not always dishonest.

Here’s a comparison table for the three words: