How to match alphabetical chars without numeric chars with Python regexp ?

Question

Using Python module re, how to get the equivalent of the "\w" (which matches alphanumeric chars) WITHOUT matching the numeric characters (those which can be matched by "[0-9]")?

Notice that the basic need is to match any character (including all unicode variation) without numerical chars (which are matched by "[0-9]").

As a final note, I really need a regexp as it is part of a greater regexp.

Underscores should not be matched.

EDIT: - I hadn't thought about underscores state, so thanks for warnings about this beeing matched by "\w" and for the elected solution that addresses this issue.

Answer 1

(?!\d)\w

A position that is not followed by a digit, and then \w. Effectively cancels out digits but allows the \w range by using a negative look-ahead.

The same could be expressed as a positive look-ahead and \D:

(?=\D)\w

To match multiple of these, enclose in parens:

(?:(?!\d)\w)+

Answer 2

You want [^\W\d]: the group of characters that is not (either a digit or not an alphanumeric). Add an underscore in that negated set if you don't want them either.

A bit twisted, if you ask me, but it works. Should be faster than the lookahead alternative.