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ambidextrous: ambidextrous: [16] Ambidextrous means literally ‘right-handed on both sides’. It was formed in Latin from the prefix ambi- ‘both’ and the adjective dexter ‘right-handed’ (source of English dextrous). Ambi- corresponds to the Latin adjective ambo ‘both’, which derived ultimately from the Indo-European base *amb- ‘around’ (an element in the source of ambassador and embassy).

The second element in Latin ambo seems to correspond to Old English ba ‘both’, which is related to modern English both. Other English words formed with the prefix amb(i)- include ambient [16] (which came, like ambition, from Latin ambīre ‘go round’), ambit [16] (from Latin ambitus ‘circuit’), ambiguous, ambition, amble, and ambulance.
=> dextrous
dextrous: dextrous: [17] Just as the left hand has always been associated with awkwardness or maladroitness (cack-handed), so the right hand has traditionally been credited with skill: hence dextrous, a derivative of Latin dexter, which meant ‘on the right side’ and thus by extension ‘skilful’. This came ultimately, like Greek dexiós, Gothic taihswa, Breton dehou, Russian desnoj, and many other related forms in the general semantic area ‘right-hand side’, from an Indo-European base *dek-. English acquired the Latin adjective itself as a heraldic term in the 16th century.
index: index: [16] Latin index originally meant ‘indicator’, and hence more specifically ‘forefinger’ – the finger used for pointing things out. It was based on the same stem, *dik- ‘point out’, as produced Latin dīcere ‘say’ (source of English diction, dictionary, etc). The metaphorically extended sense ‘list of contents’ had already developed in Latin before English took it over. Indicate is a parallel but apparently independent formation.
=> diction, dictionary, indicate
ambidexterity (n.): 1650s, from obsolete adjective ambidexter "two-sided, using both hands with equal facility," also "double-dealing," from Medieval Latin ambidexter (see ambidextrous) + -ity.
ambidextrous (adj.): 1640s, with -ous, from ambidexter (adj.) "double-dealing" (1610s), from French ambidextre or directly from Latin ambidexter, literally "right-handed on both sides," from ambi- "both" (see ambi-) + dexter "right-handed" (see dexterity). Its opposite, ambilevous "left-handed on both sides, clumsy" (1640s) is rare. Ambidexter as a noun, "one who takes bribes from both sides," is attested from 1530s and is the earliest form of the word in English; its sense of "one who uses both hands equally well" appears by 1590s.
codex (n.): "manuscript volume (especially an ancient one)," 1845, from Latin codex (see code (n.)).
Dexedrine (n.): 1942, trademark (Smith, Kline and French Laboratories) for dexamphetamine sulphate, probably from dextro- + chemical ending from Benzedrine, etc.
Dexter: masc. proper name, from Latin dexter "on the right hand" (see dexterity). Compare also Benjamin.
dexterity (n.): 1520s, from Middle French dexterité (16c.), from Latin dexteritatem (nominative dexteritas) "readiness, skillfulness, prosperity," from dexter "skillful," also "right (hand)" (source of Old French destre, Spanish diestro, etc.), from PIE root *deks- "on the right hand," hence "south" to one facing east (cognates: Sanskrit daksinah "on the right hand, southern, skillful;" Avestan dashina- "on the right hand;" Greek dexios "on the right hand," also "fortunate, clever;" Old Irish dess "on the right hand, southern;" Welsh deheu; Gaulish Dexsiva, name of a goddess of fortune; Gothic taihswa; Lithuanian desinas; Old Church Slavonic desnu, Russian desnoj). The Latin form is with the comparative suffix -ter, thus meaning etymologically "the better direction." Middle English dester meant "right hand," and in heraldry dexter means "on the right side."
dexterous (adj.): c. 1600, "convenient, suitable," formed in English from Latin dexter (see dexterity) + -ous. Meaning "skillful, clever" is from 1620s.
dextro-: word-forming element meaning "toward or on the right-hand side," from comb. form of Latin dexter (see dexterity).
dextrose (n.): 1867, shortened from dextro-glucose, from dextro- "right" + -ose (2), chemical suffix indicating a sugar. So called because this form of glucose polarizes light to the right in spectroscopy.
dextrous (adj.): 1620s, alternative spelling of dexterous; this version is more conformable to Latin but less common in English.
index (n.): late 14c., "the forefinger," from Latin index (genitive indicis) "forefinger, pointer, sign, list," literally "anything which points out," from indicare "point out" (see indication). Meaning "list of a book's contents" is first attested 1570s, from Latin phrases such as Index Nominum "Index of Names," index expurgatorius "specification of passages to be deleted from works otherwise permitted." Scientific sense (refractive index, etc.) is from 1829; economic sense (cost-of-living index, etc.) is from 1870, from the scientific usage, from sense "an indicator." The Church sense of "forbidden books" is from index librorum prohibitorum, first published 1564 by authority of Pius IV.
index (v.): "compile an index," 1720, from index (n.). Related: Indexed; indexing.
indexation (n.): 1960, noun of action from index (v.).
poindexter (n.): "nerdy intellectual," by 1986, U.S. teenager slang, from the character Poindexter, introduced 1959 in the made-for-TV cartoon version of "Felix the Cat."
Rolodex (n.): 1958, said to be from rolling + index.
Soundex (n.): phonetic coding system, 1959, from sound (n.1) + brand-name suffix -ex.
Spandex (n.): synthetic fiber, 1959, American English, proprietary name, an arbitrary formation from expand + commercial suffix -ex.
dextral: "Of or on the right side or the right hand (the opposite of sinistral)", Mid 17th century: from medieval Latin dextralis, from Latin dextra 'the right hand', from dexter 'on the right'.
caudex: "The axis of a woody plant, especially a palm or tree fern, comprising the stem and root", Late 18th century: from Latin, earlier form of codex.