@ossobuco,
1. Steaming
Steam is the technical term for water vapour, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. Steam rises. When food is steamed, it is placed in a separate perforated vessel above a pan containing boiling water. When the water boils it turns to steam which rises through the perforations and contacts the food which is thus cooked. Usually there is a lid above the steaming vessel so that the steam condenses and falls back into the lower vessel, so that the water does not evaporate ("boil away") quickly. The whole combination of lower vessel, upper vessel, and lid is often called a "steamer", although this word is also used for the perforated vessel alone.
2. Stewing.
When food is stewed it is immersed in very hot or gently boiling water for a long time. Usually the stewing vessel has a close fitting (not "airtight") lid so that the water does not boil away as explained above. The maximum temperature that the water can attain is 100 degrees C.
3. Pressure cooking
If a specially strong vessel with a mechanically secured airtight lid is used, then you have a pressure cooker. Because the pressure inside is allowed to rise, the water does not all boil, and reaches a higher temperature than is possible with stewing, and the food is cooked more quickly.