Abstract: Airfoils are provided having non-monotonic meanline angle distributions and local negative camber along a length of the meanline between a point on a leading edge of the airfoil and a point on the trailing edge of the airfoil. The improved airfoil shape decreases the peak of a Mach number of a shock wave that develops in a passage between adjacent airfoils and attenuates or eliminates the shock wave at the suction surface of the airfoil within the passage. A blade constructed by this type of airfoil provides improved fluid flow in the passages between the airfoils, increased efficiency and an improved stall margin, among other benefits.