I don't think it has to be to do with beat patterns really, even less to do with snares. Any element of a tune can play a rhythmic role, and everyone can have a different perception of that rhythm, so why should the definition have to be so concrete? Loefahs punisher remix goes bars without snare, but it's still a militant half stepper. I'd argue sine of the dub is a half step track too - even though it's a beatless tune, the bass hits, and to a certain extent spaceapes flow, provide that half-step lilt.
To me it's about vibe, and how I'd dance to it. As elgato says, it's a personal thing.