The Latin phrase de profundis means "out of, or from, the depths." It is typically used to describe a heartfelt cry or an expression of sorrow or despair that comes from deep within.
The term de profundis comes from the Latin translation of the Bible, specifically from Psalm 130, which says, "De profundis clamavi," meaning "Out of the depths I cry." Therefore, it is traditionally associated with a prayer for help in times of extreme distress. In literature, Oscar Wilde famously titled a long letter he wrote in 1897 while imprisoned De Profundis, and so the term is often linked to someone writing or speaking from a place of social exile or in times of hardship and anguish.