city, seat (1917) of Lea county, southeastern New Mexico, U.S. Bordered on the east and south by Texas, the county lies on a sandy, grassy plain long favoured by cattle ranchers. Surveyors working for Texas cattleman James B. Love laid out a townsite in 1907, and Love opened a general store and post office there in 1908. Love proposed that the post office be named Loving, but another New Mexico town bore that name, and he chose Lovington instead. The town is a service centre for neighbouring ranches and farms. Inc. 1918. Pop. (1990) 9,322; (2000) 9,471.