A cutting element for a tool to create a helically extending, trapezoidally undercut groove in a cylindrical surface of a bore. The cutting tool, preferably configured as a cutting insert, has groove-cutting teeth to create a symmetrically cross-sectioned groove which are arranged in series in a division harmonized with the pitch of the groove to be created. These groove-cutting teeth comprise at least one pre-machining tooth to create and machine a base groove and several trapezoidal teeth following the at least one pre-machining tooth, which have a tooth head profile which expands trapezoidally in cross-section in the vertical direction of the tooth with two flanks delimiting a flank angle for further machining the base groove to a trapezoidally undercut final cross-section. The flank angle delimited by the two flanks increases from at least one trapezoidal tooth to a following trapezoidal tooth to a defined final dimension.