The word is a modern English compound adjective formed by combining two native Germanic roots. The first element, "sun," names the celestial body whose light and heat cause the effect. The second element, "brown," is a verb describing the process of becoming a specific color. The suffix "-ed" transforms this verb phrase into an adjective, indicating a state resulting from that process. Thus, the literal meaning "made brown by the sun" directly and transparently conveys the modern sense of skin darkened by solar exposure, showcasing a straightforward descriptive logic in word formation.

Structure: sun (noun) + brown (verb) + ed (adjective suffix) - sun: From Old English sunne, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zon and German Sonne. Functions as a noun root denoting the star at the center of our solar system. - brown: From Old English brūn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bruin and German braun. In this compound, it functions as a verb root meaning to make or become brown. - ed: From Old English -ed, -od, -ad, a suffix forming past participles of weak verbs, which commonly function as adjectives.