The adjective 'trumped-up' originates from the verb 'to trump up', first recorded in the late 17th century. The verb 'trump' in this context, meaning to deceive or fabricate, is unrelated to the card suit and likely evolved from the idea of concocting a story. The addition of the particle 'up' is a common feature in English phrasal verbs, serving to complete the action, implying something has been invented from nothing and brought to a finished state. Thus, the literal sense of "fabricated and completed" evolved into the modern legal and general meaning of falsely invented, especially for a malicious purpose like framing someone.

Structure: trump (to fabricate) + up (completive particle) - trump (verb): Of English origin, from Middle English 'trumpen', meaning to deceive or cheat. In this compound, it carries the sense of fabricating or inventing falsely. - up (adverb/particle): Of Old English origin ('up'), functioning here as a completive particle, intensifying the action of the verb and giving a sense of finality or completion to the fabrication.