The compound "sun-like" is a modern English formation built from two ancient Germanic roots. The first element, "sun," descends from the Proto-Germanic sunnōn, a feminine noun whose ultimate Proto-Indo-European origin is uncertain but is thought to be related to the root for "to shine." The second element, "-like," originates from the Old English noun līc, meaning "body" or "form," which evolved into a suffix denoting similarity or resemblance. The logic of the word is transparently descriptive: it directly combines the object of comparison ("sun") with the suffix indicating resemblance ("-like") to create an adjective meaning "having the form or qualities of the sun."

Structure: sun (the star) + like (resembling) - sun: From Old English sunne, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zon and German Sonne. The central star of our solar system. - like: From Old English līc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lijk and German Leiche (body, form). In this compound, it functions as a suffix meaning "having the form or characteristics of".