Sautee/Stir Fry/Skillet Cook

[SubwayScriptures]

Is there an official definition or way of separating the cooking techniques of sautee, stir-frying, and skillet cooking? It seems like all 3 are just cooking things in a skillet. Is there a particular ingredient/method that defines each particular cooking style?

[Wyogal]

saute- to cook quickly in a small amount of fat, usually while mixing or tossing the food by occasionally flipping the pan
stir-fry- similar to saute, but the pan remains stationary, uses a spatula
pan-fry (skillet)- to cook in a moderate amount of fat in an uncovered pan
courtesy of Gisslen's "Professional Cooking"

[mcnerd]

I consider stir-fry as frying quickly in a small amount of oil over high heat while stirring continuously, usually associated with a Chinese Wok and their method of cooking.

Sauteing is similar to stir-fry except in a regular pan.

Pan-frying is a longer cooking version and usually not involvement much movement of the food while cooking, like pan-frying chicken or a steak.

[The King]

Yeah, any mention of a skillet for me evokes an image of black parallel lines running over the food, steak being the classic thing to put on a skillet.