Abstract: A rotor blade for an axial compressor that may include an airfoil, which includes a leading edge, and a root, which includes a platform, the platform being the outer radial face of the root from which the airfoil extends, and a dovetail, the dovetail including a dovetail leading-face, which is the face of the dovetail that generally points up-stream once the rotor blade is installed in the axial compressor. The rotor blade may include an undercut groove that is formed on the dovetail leading-face that undercuts at least partially the intersection of the leading edge of the airfoil and the platform.