diff --git a/src/core.js b/src/core.js
index 520db45e..43d46e9e 100644
--- a/src/core.js
+++ b/src/core.js
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ var jQuery = function( selector, context ) {
 	trimLeft = /^\s+/,
 	trimRight = /\s+$/,
 
-	// Check for non-word characters
-	rnonword = /\W/,
-
 	// Check for digits
 	rdigit = /\d/,