The term is a modern English compound adjective, transparently descriptive of its object. The first element, "wire," originates from a Proto-Germanic root meaning flexible metal thread, a concept essential for describing the slender, minimalist frames. The second element, "rimmed," derives from an Old English word for an edge or border, here used to denote the structural band that holds the lenses. The compound logically and literally describes eyeglasses whose lenses are bordered and held by a thin, metallic frame, evolving directly from the concrete meanings of its components without significant semantic shift.

Structure: wire (material) + rimmed (having a border) - wire: From Old English wīr, meaning metal drawn out into a thread. In this compound, it specifies the material of the frame. - rimmed: From Old English rima, meaning border or edge, combined with the past participle suffix -ed to form an adjective meaning "having a rim or border."