In the article the genre notion “scientific romance” is comprehended. A survey of foreign and domestic studies of this phenomenon is made, as a result of which it becomes clear that the term “scientific romance” can denote different literary sets. It is found out that the thematic complex “science and scientific discovery” combined with a certain image of the hero-scientist serves as a common denominator of different definitions of the genre. It is concluded that these parameters are insufficient to form the genre.